Tai's little secret
by Demino
Summary: Tai has a little secret. Well maybe it's not that little. You see, in this alternate universe, Tai was born as a girl, and spent the last five to six years pretending to be a boy.
1. prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon.

Summary: AU. First part in the Series, expected to be around four chapters + prologue long. AU everyone, Taichi has a little secret, okay maybe it's not that little at all. 

Thoughts 

=====================================

 Tai's little Secret

Prologue 

=====================================

Depression, that's what I feel right now. Depression of having to be the way I am. At first it was fun, but now, it starting to become too much for me to handle. Always hiding my true self from the others. If only those boys would have let me play soccer with them those years ago. Then maybe this wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Taichi grumbled as she looked up into the ceiling of the room she shared with Kari. It had been two days since they had returned from the digital world to the real world, and now more then ever, did she hate the front she put up for the others, it had been what, five years, six, since he had begun to dress this way, to hide what she really was, a girl.  

Pulling off the headband, she allowed the thick brown hair to fall down from it normal messy mop on top of his head. Running a hand through it, she slowly rolled over in her bed and stared at the wall. All she wanted, was a chance to be what she was, what she had been since she was born. Not something all her friends thought she was, a boy.

As she drifted off into her little dream world where she wasn't one of the guys, but more like a girl. Still though and outgoing, but able to show what she was with out fearing to scorned for it. All her new friends had been made after they moved here. They weren't like the ones back in the old neighborhood. All stiff and formal, a boy played in the mud, and a girl stayed home to clean the house and look after the children, bah. Why couldn't she be like Sora, She was tomboy that was clear, but she still managed to be a girl. _Have I really forgotten what's it like to be a girl?_

Her dark thoughts were broken by the soft knocking on the bedroom door, she had made it a habit of closing the door when she was alone or when she didn't knew if any of her friends came over. Sure her mum had understood her, and helped her by yelling out loud whenever one of them showed up. "Come in." It came out as a soft yell and sounded very girl like at that moment. Cursing a little on the inside, she feared to hear the comments from her friends if it was them outside the door. 

As no one came, and the only sound she heard was the door softly closing, she rolled over to see her sister, standing in the doorway, with her eyes downcast. "Kari, What's wrong?" Her eyes opened, and her protective instinct for her little sister took over. "Nobody hurt you, did they?" Her eyes spoke of the pain she would inflict on them if they had. One good thing coming from pretending to be a boy, you learned how to fight real fast.

Kari or Hikari as her real name was looked down at the floor, for a few moments, then she pulled her hand out from her back and held up a thick brown envelope with Tai's name on the front. Sitting up, she grabbed the envelope from her and tore it open while shaking. Puliing out the papers, her eyes ran over the first four lines and then a wide grin filled her face. "They accepted me, they accepted me, I got accepted by Kasumki Freewood's Alternate Teaching School" Jumping down from the bed, she made a victory sign at her little sister.

Kari looked at her with sad eyes as she danced around the room. "Yeah, but, we'll be so far apart. I don't want to lose my Neesan. Even if you don't act like a girl." Her words took on a mocking note in the end, as she tried to cover up her sadness.

Tai turned her eyes to stare down at her little sister. "What do you mean I don't act like a girl?" Eyes crossed at the last words. 

Kari looked her up and down. "Well, let's take the clothes for a starter, too baggy, and you hair." Moving her hand and sounding very much like Mimi would have.

Tai lifted her hands and clamped down on her hair and gave a death glare at the grinning girl in front of her. "Okay, so my clothes and hairstyle could use a little help, big deal." Huffing Tai turned back to the paper that was sticking out of the envelope. 

Behind her, Kari grinned as she tried to look over shoulder of her big sister, and see the paper she was holding. Failing, she stepped back and put on her best puppy eye look. "Nee-san, please. Can I read it?"

Tai looked back over her shoulder and sighed at the puppy eyes. "Someday you have to teach me how to do that." Handing over the papers, Tai noticed the teary eyed woman standing in the doorway. Gulping, she took a step back and brached herself. "Okaa-san?" Voice timid, she quickly looked around to see if there was a way to escape her mother death hug. 

Rushing into the room. Her mother wrapped her arms around her and nearly chocked her to death with the hug. Letting go of the spluttering brown haired girl, she looked down at the blushing faces of her twos daughter as she stood up. "My little girl, already going out into the big world. Oh I'm so proud."

Tai sweatdropped and looked up at his crying mum. "Come on, I just a year or two. I'll only be, what on the other side of Japan. It's not like I'm leaving for America you know." Finding herself in another bear hug, she felt like crying herself for having such an emotional mother. "Mom, come on, let go of me. Will you?"

Nodding, her mother stood up and clapped her hands together. "If you're going away to that school." Tai gulped at the strange look in her mom's eyes, as she went off into a dream world. "You'll need some new clothes, you can't show up dressed like a tomboy, maybe a nice summer dress, or how about a Kimono." Going into a dream world, she never noticed the empty stare for her oldest daughter.

Sweatdropping again as her mother began to hum, Tai quickly lifted the letter up to his mum. "Mum it's a school, not a party." Giving a small glare at the still gushing woman, she handed the letter back to Kari again. "I'm not showing up at a now school in a Kimono." Both her mum and Kari looked at one another and then at Tai. Slowly she backed off and waved her hands in front of her. "No way, I mean it, I'm not doing it." Staring at the two puppy eyes faces that both her mother and sister made when she refused, she gave a long sigh. "Fine, but nothing fancy, got it."

Kari hi-fived her mother and then looked at her big sister. "Come on, I can't wait to see you in one." 

Their mum nodded and went to get her purse and shopping bag. "We'll head over to the next district. I heard from Mrs. Tachikawa that they're having a sale there this week."  

TBC.

Read the authors notes. I'm offering a to send everyone a mail when I update. That is, if you want to read some more off this fic.

Taichi: A given (``first'') name (not yet classified by gender)

Translations.

Nee-san: Big sister, less formal and commonly used.

Okka-san: Mother. 

AN: Hiya everyone. I bet you're all dying to flame me into an early grave. But guess what, I don't care. Send all the flames you want. It's cold and I could use something to heat up the room with. Well, from the writer point of view. I would have liked for this prologue to be a little longer. But alas it didn't. Instead, behold my power over paragraphs. See you sometime around Friday. If nothing goes wrong, the next chapter should be ready by then. 

I've noticed that there's somewhere around 50-60 new chapters and stories added to the Digimon section every day. So, if you want too. You can mail me at deminohoyer@hotmail.com and leave you mail address, and then I'll tell you when I update okay.


	2. chapter I

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Summary: First part in the Series. Expected to be around four chapters + prologue. AU everyone, Taichi has a little secret, okay maybe it's not that little. 

Thoughts 

=====================================

 Tai's little Secret

Part I 

=====================================

The falling leaves from the many trees covering the school ground fell gently around her, as she looked up from where she stood. Towering over her, the wine covered wall of the school dormitory also gave off its own shower of falling flower leaves, adding a beautiful effect to the sun filled autumn day. 

Dressed in a large blue t-shirt, she had a black, long sleeved T-shirt under it and wore a pair of blue jeans with white sneakers on her feet. She looked down at the books in her hands, or more precisely at the watch she was wearing on her right arm. Looking back up, she pouted and began to tap her foot on the gravel path leading down to the school building. Finally she spotted the one she had been waiting for breaking out from the shadow of the main school entrance.

Wearing a short skirt and a lose shirt, she was struggling to hold onto her books as she also tried to fix the last strand of hair while running. Looking up, she opened her mouth to greet her, but never got around to it as the sound of a loud voice yelling Tai's name broke out and distracted her from whoever it was in front of her. As the world started to shake, Tai blinked her eyes at the noise and began to panic as the world faded away into a messy white swirl around her. 

"No wait, come back!"

Eyes opening, she came face to face with her little sister's face staring down at her. 

***********

Kari looked down at the way her big sister was sleeping. One leg lying over the railing of the bed and dangling in the air, she had a small drop of drool handing from her mouth. Chocolate colored eyes blinking as she woke up, she mumbled something, then she began to pull the blanket further up to cover her head. "Just another five minutes." Could plainly be heard as the blanket covered her face completely. Frowning at the sleepy voice, and knowing from past experiences, that if she let her big sister get her five more minutes of sleep, she was never gong to get up, she had no way to get her up, but to use plan A. Smirking in a way only a plotting sibling could, Kari looked down at the blanket and did the same thing she had done almost every morning for the last five years.

Tai screamed as the warm blanket was ripped off and the cold air of the room rushed in to take the nice warm air away from her. Sitting up, she noticed her little sister running out of the room with her blanket trailing behind her. "Hikari, you get back here now!" Jumping out of the top bunk, she landed on her feet, and began to chase her little sister around the apartment yelling loudly.

Standing in the doorway, their mother had tears running down her cheeks while biting into a small handkerchief. "My little girl, so big now, and all grown up. Only two days till she moves out on her own" Drifting off into a dream world, she sighed and hugged herself. "Maybe she'll find a nice boyfriend there and marry him. Oh, I can't wait to become a grandmother." 

The sound of Tai and Kari face faulting inside the main room woke her up from her dream world. "MUM!!" Tai glared at her, as she appeared right in the center of the room. "I'm not getting married. I'm only 11 years old!" Tai felt a vain pop as her mother laughed with a scary and sneaky look in her eyes. For some strange reason, she had the desire to remain at that school for the rest of the year.

Still smiling, their mum wrapped Tai up in a bone-crushing hug and cried onto her shoulder. "You be good you hear. And write everyday. Okay every third day. Don't forget to come home for Christmas you hear." Holding Tai away from her, she sniffed a little. "Now eat your breakfast. I made all your favorites." As Tai stared at the large pile of food, on the table her mother sat down across from her. "Eat up. Your dad will drive you up to your new school as soon as you finish."

**************

It had a sad moment. Standing there in her boy disguise, saying goodbye to each of her friends. Well, they had been missing Mimi. Her parents had dragged her on a vacation somewhere last week. It was a long goodbye, it would be at least six months before she would see anyone of them again and even then the school would only let her home to her family twice a year, for summer vacation and Christmas. Holding the bag with her last minute goodbye presents from her friends, her mind drifted back to each of her friends and the goodbyes. 

She had gotten a small flower from Sora, handpicked by her it even came in a small pot. Sora had been openly crying when she had handed over her present, and it had taken a promise of mailing everyday to calm her down and get her to stop crying. After that, she had gotten a hug from her best girl friend, and most likely her only girl friend.

TK were openly crying over in the corner of the small group and Matt had his hand on the little guy's shoulder to calm him down. The master of ice was looking like he could cry himself, but he were acting though for the group and doing his best to hide it. TK had given her a small stuffed toy in the shape of her Digimon partner Agumon. From the very bad sewing, it was clear that it was a homemade project. Matt's present had been a small harmonica and a stronger and more craving hug then the one she had gotten from Sora. And she had forced into giving more promises of writing everyday, and if possible, to call him on the phone. Despite everything that had happened between them in the digital world, Matt was her best friend. No, he was more like a brother to her, the brother she never had, and TK, little TK with the big heart and strong will was her little brother. 

Joe had been very quiet. No crying, no big scene, just a hand on the shoulder and quick hug. She had frankly expected him to at lest shred a tear over something like this. But Joe, good old reliable Joe had been the grown up again, the strong one. Acting like a big brother giving his favorite little brother advice on how to act out there in the big, dark and scary world. Her present from him had been a little strange. She could remember staring at the small doctors manual and then up at him. Then she had remembered his role in the digital world. The one to help if anyone got hurt in the battles, keeping tap of everyone and making sure they were okay.

Izzy hadn't had a present like the others. Instead she had gotten a CD from him, with strict orders on how to not use it. From what she had understood it was something he had made on his laptop and burned over on the CD for him. Putting it into a more safer place then where it was right now, she vowed to find a cheap laptop or public computer to watch it later.

Kari had been all tears and had to be pried lose of her leg before she sat into the car. Kari had even sworn that if Tai didn't write to her on a everyday basis, she would hunt her down and demand an explanation from her personally, as too why she hadn't gotten an e-mail that day. Tai had freaked out by the look in her eyes and vowed to get a laptop ASAP, the sooner the better. Smiling, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep to the movement of the car.

**************

"Wake up Tai. We're here"

Blinking, She sat up in her seat and looked out the window. They were holding in the school parking lot at the moment. "Okay dad." Yawning, she unbuckled her seatbelt, and popped open the door. Still sitting inside the car, she took a deep breath and sighed. "Wow!"

Her father grinned as he stepped out of the car. "You, there really something to be said about the fresh air out here." Closing the cardoor, he lifted his car keys and looked at her. "Now hurry up. You have six months to enjoy the fresh air. But we only have ten minutes to find the ms. Yuna's office and get your room key." 

Stepping out of the car, She slammed the door and streched. Holding the bag with her gifts and her trusty packback in the other. She gave a smile at her dad before turning to look at her new home. For a school it was strangely quiet and there seemed to be a lack of students on the campus, she had expected there to be a lot more, but there was really no one outside. The school itself was more along a manor, then a normal school, built in an old British style, with lots of large glass windows. Vines covered the main building and did a great job of hiding the dull, gray stone color of the building itself. From the large open square in front of the main building, a small series of paths led off to the newer dorm buildings, that had been built when the place was turned into a school. 

Her father looked at her and gave a sad smile, this was the time when his precious little girl first left home all alone. Sure she had gone to the digital world, but she had that strange little orange dinosaur at that time to protect her. "Well, come on. Can't keep Ms. Yuna waiting for us." Walking up the stone covered driveway from the parking spot. He took some time to look around as well. In the distance, the ocean could be heard, but the school blocked the view to it, maybe he would take a small stroll along the beach. It had been so long since he had last seen it.

Shrugging, Tai grabbed her backpack, and started to jog after her father. She wouldn't show it, but she was really nothing more then a bundle of nerves. She was wondering if the other girls on the school would accept her, or if she would be the outcast. Still it would only hurt her to think about it right now. Stepping into a pace that matched her dads, she walked up the stairs and pushed the doorbell next to the two large wooden doors. 

**************

Ms. Yuna looked across her desk and settled her eyes on the young girl and the man that had come with her. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the very boyish clothes the girl wore, and then she turned to look at the father. "So, you're Taichi Yagami?" Opening the small folder she looked through them with a critical eye. "You grades are a little low, but I'm sure we can help you with them. I also notice that you were on your old school soccer team." Giving a smile, she closed the folder. "We have a small soccer team here, if you are willing, you can join it." Then her voice became and face professional. "While we have a very open dress code here. There are some limitations. I'm afraid that you boy clothes don't fit in. We don't use uniforms here, but you are to expected to maintain a proper attiare while on school property. Main gates closed at nine on schooldays and eleven on weekends." Opening a drawer, she pulled a small folder of papers and handed it over. "Here's you class scedual, and a list of the school rules for you to follow. Breakfasts at seven AM, dinner at one PM and supper at Seven PM."  

Tai nodded and took the "Thank you." Opening her backpack, she dropped paper down into it." Then she looked up and smiled. "Say, I didn't see that many students when I walked up here." 

Ms. Yuna looked at her as she spoke, then she stood up. "Well the school doesn't start until next week. So you're pretty much alone except for the two other girls starting this year." At the puzzled look on Tai's face, she pattered the younger girls shoulder. "I believe in giving people a time to a just to a place and learn it's layout, before forcing them to keep up a busy timetable." Opening the door and taking off a key from a small holder on the wall next to it, she looked back at them. "Well, I think that was it. If you have any questions, you can ask them as I show you where the different things are in this place, and where you'll be sleeping."  

The tour was long. Ms. Yuna showed them everything, from the dinner room to the shower room, in the last case. Tai's dad was told to wait outside, just in case one of the other girls was using it at the time. In the end, they started to walk up a large staircase leading up to the second floor of the main building. "We're normally seen as a very snobbish place." Ms. Yuna began explaining as the stepped off the stairs and turned down the left corridor. "Largely because of the low number of students who go here, and the cost of the place. But as you read in out letter, the new owner opened the doors to everyone, not just the best of the best. It also helped with the locals view on this place, that some of their children could come here instead of going to school in a neighboring town." Stopping to look at Tai, she gave a smile. "Well. Here's your room, remember you'll be sharing it with one other student. Take a look around, and get used to it. If you have any questions, feel free to come to me." Turning to Tai's dad, she gave a small bow. "Mr. Yagami."

Tai looked back at her, and then at the door. "Well, this is it." Slowly she stuck the key into the keyhole and turned it around. As the door swung open she picked up her bag and stepped inside. "Looks like there's plenty room." Putting the bag down, she turned around and looked at her dad as she stepped out again. "Well, I just need the two suitcases in the car and then…" Giving a small sob, she wrapped her hands around her father. "I'll miss you, and Mum and Kari." Her dad hugged her back and shred a few tears himself. After a good five minutes Tai stood up. "Come one, We'd better get those suitcases, or else, I'm never gonna stop crying."

**************

Tai slowly looked around the room she would be spending most of the year in. A large bunk bed lined one wall, and to the other side, was a bare wall only broken by a mirror and a large wooden plate. Putting up posters on the painted had been forbidden since it would cost too much to repaint the wall every time a new student showed up. If she really wanted to put up one, she had to use the plate that could be attached to the small rail near the ceiling. Next to the window with the large window still, was a large brown desk used for studying. 

Turning her head. She looked at the clothes she was wearing, and slowly began to opened her suitcase. It was going to be good to get out of the large and baggy clothes. Besides, if she wanted to find herself, she had to let go of her macho tomboy self, and embrace the feminine Tai. The blue shirt landed on the bed, next came the goggles and finally the brown shorts. Opening the suitcase, she pulled out a sleeveless blue shirt and a pair of light blue jeans. Both were a lot less baggy then her boy clothes and clearly showed that she was a girl. Grabbing the brush her sister had given her, she turned to the wall mirror. Slowly, she looked as her hair lost it messy style, and became more tamed.

Dropping the brush on the table, she pulled opened the window and sat down on the window still. She could feel the ocean breeze as well as hear the faint cries of a few seagulls. Slowly, her mind wandered back in time. Back to when she was still a girl, not someone who pretended to be a boy. 

+++++++++Flashback++++++++++

A very young Tai, no more then five years old is sitting on the side of a sand box watching a group of seven kids playing soccer on the nearby grass field with big eyes. Smiling a little, she stands up and walks over to them when they stop playing for a while. Pulling on the shirt of the eldest boy to get his attention. 

Standing a good deal over her, with curly black hair, he's around seven years old and towering over her. Looking down to see who was bugging him, he looked at Tai with narrowed eyes. "What?" 

Taking a step back from the anger in his voice, Tai stopped and looked up at him with determination in her eyes. "Can I play too?" 

Looking at Tai as she returns his look with a hopeful and determined one, he lowered his eyes to stare at the pink overall for a short second. Then his mouth cracked into a cruel smile. "Yeah right. Hey guys, little miss princess here wants to play soccer with us, what do we say to that?" The other guys ranging from around five to six years old looked up at her and then began to laugh.

Tai blinked her eyes angrily as the other boys start to laugh at her. Feeling her eyes tear up, she looked up at the leader. "Why not? I can be just as good as you are" Stomping her foot, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him. 

Looking down at her, he bounced the soccer ball for a bit. Then he smirked. "Okay, catch." Bouncing the ball of her head, he grinned as she fall back over, holding her head. "That's way you can't play. Everyone knows girls can't play soccer cause they are so weak." Laughing, he waved at his friends. "Come on, let's leave the little pink princess here and play some soccer."

Glaring at the retreating boys from where she was sitting, Tai looked down at her pink overall and grumbled. Standing up slowly, she gave a loud shriek when the ball hit her in the head from behind, sending her down on the grass again, this time with face first. 

"Sorry!" Came in very sarcastic tone from the boys playing.

Looking over her shoulder with tears in her eyes, she glared at the entire group of boys who were laughing loudly. Standing up, she glared down at the ball before kicking it. Running away after that, she never saw one of the boys whistle at how far she kicked it. It was not until five minutes later that she was sitting under a tree on the other side of the sand box, that she stopped crying, her eyes glowing with determination. "I'll show them who's the best boy."

The next day, she stood in the park again. Her long brown hair held up in a messy style by a blue headband and goggles. Wearing a large baggy shirt and brown pants, she stared at the same group of kids from the day before. As the game slowed down, one of the boys looked up and motioned for Tai to join in.

+++++++++End Flashback++++++++++++

Tai awoke from her small flashback and shook her head, that was all in the past, for now, she had to focus on finding herself. Sliding down from the window still, she looked down the wide green area until she spotted the outskirt of the town lying next to the school and ocean. Maybe a small walk would clear up the hundreds of thoughts running through her mind. Walking down the hallway, she looked around the empty school. There weren't that many students around yet, and so most of the place was empty and quiet. 

Finding the current supervisors room, she politely knocked on the door and waited for it to be opened or to be told to come in. As the door opened up, she smiled as the friendly face of old Mrs. Yuna looked down at her. Gesturing for Tai to step in, she made room for her. As Tai stepped in, she closed the door and looked at her. "So Miss. Yagami. Have you settled in yet?"

Smiling, Tai nodded and absently blew away a few stands of hair from her nose; she had been having that wild hairstyle for too long. She still wasn't used to it hanging loosely around her head. "Yes Mrs. Yuna." Still smiling, she mentally kicked herself for being so scared of asking for permission to go into town. "Uh. Mrs. Yuna. I was wondering. Could I be allowed to go into town? I kinda want to see it."      

Mrs. Yuna looked up and cast a look out her window and down at the town in the distance. "Well…" At the almost begging look in Tai's eyes she cracked a smile. "Okay, but be back before 8 pm." As Tai's eyes lit up with happiness, she slipped into mother mode. "Don't forget to take something warm with you. This is near the ocean, you never know when it might get cold outside!"  

Tai nodded as she slipped over to the door. "I will Mrs. Yuna." Giving a small bow, she opened the door and stepped out into the big entrance hall, running up the stairs, she opened the door to her room, and grabbed her small backpack and a summer jacket. Stuffing the jacket into it, she slipped on the backpack and left her room. Closing and locking the door, she gave a loud sigh and began to head into town.

**************

Slowly walking down the small city streets. Tai took in a deep breath and gave a faint smile. The air was so much fresher and better smelling near the ocean, then it was in Tokyo, plus she had never seen a place like this before, the digital world was beautiful for it vastness and unspoiled nature, but there was still some places in the real world that could rival the digital world at any time. 

Still thing over it, Tai reached the main street of the town and found herself in a place that looked like the shopping places back in Odaiba, but there was a lot less people around here. Seeing an anime and manga shop, she grinned and took a few moment to look at the stuff on display in the windows before going in. As she left the shop, she had two new mangas, plus her jacket in the backpack. Looking to the left, Tai spotted one of the few clothing shops that the town had. Outside it, a wide display of dresses and other types of clothes was put on display.

Taking a moment to stare at a blur off the shoulder sweater in the large window, she shook her head. That was much too girlish for her right now. All she wanted was to rediscover who she was, but it wouldn't happen in one day. Still the sweater did look nice. "Hey, I see you like the sweater as well. It's just too bad it's not pink, then I would have gotten it on the spot." A happy and cherry voice broke out from behind her. 

Freezing on the spot as she heard the voice. Tai slowly turned around, her eye growing wider by the moment as she recognize each of the things the girl behind was wearing. The cowgirl clothes, the big red hat, and the large brown bag, she had seen it all before. The two strands of cinnamon colored hair falling down over soft brown eyes were also familiar to her. Slowly a name came to mind, a name she hadn't forgotten after the digital world. After all, all eight of them had become best friends in that time they had spent there, even some as different as them. "Mimi?"

Mimi's eye snapped up as her name was spoke in a half scared voice. Running her eyes over the girl in front of her. She took in the lose hanging, yet messy and wild brown hair, and those chocolate colored eyes. She had seen them before, but they belonged to a boy. Not a girl. Slowly her mouth opened and she spoke the name of the only person she could fit those looks too. "Tai… Chi?" Mimi felt her knee's give out and then darkness claimed her.

**************

"Come on, wake up." Hemp, didn't that loudmouthed over active boy understand that a girl needed her beauty sleep. When she woke up from this dream, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Still, that cold and damp cloth that he just placed on her forehead helped on the small headache she had from fainting. Wait, fainting?

"Tai-chan. You look so nice in that. Much better then those baggy clothes you always wore." The sound of feet moving across the floor made her feel strangely aware off the fact that she was still asleep. Wait; if I'm still asleep, then I shouldn't feel anything, especially that piece of…

"I'm sorry you had to go to such trouble over my little princess." That was her dad's voice. 

Sitting up straight, Mimi felt the wet piece of cloth fly off her forehead and land in her lab. Staring a little while on the wall with the painting of a beach on it, she began to remember the room she was in, it was the main room of the summer house that she and her family was staying in, which meant that she had been sleeping. Sitting on a chair near the window, her father was reading the local newspaper with a relaxed expression, noticing her; he folded up the paper and turned to smile at her. "Wha?" Flopping back down on the small futon to rest some more, she groaned loudly as the events of her dream was still too clear for her liking. "I just had the weirdest dream. No, more like a nightmare. I mean, there's no way that loud, and overactive Taichi-kun could be a girl." Opening her eyes at the sound of small intake of air besides her, she caught her dad looking at something on the other side of her. Fearing what she was going to see, but filled with a morbid curiosity, she turned her head to the side and found Tai busy staring down at the floor. And if she was not mistaken, she was blushing a little from the looks of it. "Taichi-kun?"

Then a face shot up besides Tai. Grabbing the girl with the dark brown hair in a hug from behind, Mimi's mum gave a wide sugar filled smile that screamed out happiness and joy at the world. "My little Mimi-chan. You are awake!" Cherry smile turning into a little frown, she looked down at her. "You gave me and dad such a big scare. Fainting like that!" Then her head looked at the brown haired girl trying to sink through the floorboard of the room. "Look, Tai-chan showed up, she caught you before you hit your head on the nasty sidewalk."

Mimi looked from her mom to whom she had always though a boy. Her eyes nothing more then small dots, her moth opened and closed just like a goldfish. Slowly her hand moved out and poked Tai's chest. Her eyes became even smaller when she felt something small, but still clearly something no boy should have. "You mean, you knew. And why is he, I mean she, I…" Her voice becoming more, and more weaker as she spoke, until her mouth was back to looking like a gold fish's. Finally her mind gave up trying to figure out this universe and shut down. In other words, hello darkness, goodbye world, Mimi felt herself drift off as the ground came rushing up to meet her again.

Tai, and Mimi's over hyped mum blinked as Mimi's eyes snapped shut before she fell back over again. Looking down at the unconscious gill, with big teary eyes, Mimi's mother bit her sleeve. "Oh my poor girl" Tai slowly pulled out on her shirt as she tried to get her face to stop blushing, that little episode had been very embarrassing.    

Tbc.

Questions from the reviewers:

DigiWizardress. 

1:  Please do not make it Tai/Yamato!! Err, I'm not a big fan of that

A: I don't know if I'm going to put in a coupling in this fic at all. 

And for those of you with a fear of Yaoi and Yuri couplings, I don't know about that yet. So far the only thing between Tai and Mimi will be a friendship. 

2: My question is why did Taichi have to hide his/her gender?  Could ya do a flashback or something?  Thanx and update soon!

A: Hope the flashback could help you. But don't worry, there's more to this story then that. Look out for more from Tai's past next time when Tai explains why she pretended to be boy for the last five years, and not just told her friends that she was a girl. 

AN: I'm not working with that tight a time plan again. Look for an Update in two weeks time. Somewhere around Saturday or Sunday. You can still sign up for the updating list. If you do, I'll send you a mail telling you that I have updated it, and I'll even put a link to the new chapter for you to use in it.

Story looks rushed in some parts. But before you complain, remember this I wrote it Monday-Wensday and Thursday. If there's a small problem with the ending, that's because I wrote it right after the small dream in the start. The goodbye scene was short, mostly because I don't know how to write most them in-character, as for the small scene wit Tai and her dad. Well, I hope you liked it. I was have small problem writing it.

Send mail address here: deminohoyer@hotmail.com

Hmm, no flames, I was so sure I would get flamed for making a story like this. Not that I'm complaining.

Anyway.

Ja Ne, 

Dak.


	3. chapter II

Sasayaku. 

I'm sorry, but hotmail can't find your e-mail address. I'm writing it here, just in case you're wondering why I haven't told you when I updated the story.

Notice: 

Translations of movie title in this fic can be found before the author's notes.

Answers to the many questions I have gotten from reviewers can be found at the bottom of the document, right after the author's notes. 

--------------------------

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Summary: First part in the Series. Expected to be around four chapters + prologue. AU everyone, Taichi has a little secret, okay maybe it's not that little. 

Thoughts 

=====================================

 Tai's little Secret

Part II 

=====================================

Tai sipped her tea calmly, and did her best to ignore the prone form of Mimi lying on the futon behind her. It wasn't her problem if the pink loving girl, couldn't stay awake long enough, for her to explain to them all why she had spent the last few years dressing as a boy. Putting down the cup she smiled at Mrs. Tachikawa. "Thank you for the tea." 

Putting down another bowl of cookies, Mimi's mum nodded. "You're more then welcome, and I know Mimi has been missing a friend since we came here."

Tai grinned and picked up a cookie. "Thanks, um, Mrs. Tachikawa?" Waiting for the elder woman to sit down as well before asking her question, Tai chewed on the cookie. "How, did you know I was a girl? You said it was nice to see me wearing clothes besides my normal baggy kind"

Giving a small laugh, Mrs. Tachikawa picked up her own cup of tea. "Tai-chan, Tai-chan. Women knows things like that, it also helped that I was at that party three years ago. You looked so cute in that little orange dress." Putting down her cup after taking a sip of tea, she looked at Tai with a glint in her eye. "I helped your mother pick out the dress for you. It was a shame Mimi was sick that day, she wouldn't let you dress like a boy after that."

Tai gulped at the thought of having a fashion obsessed girl after her. At that time, she was still in the way of thinking that only boy's could play soccer, then he had met Sora, and seen that girl could be allowed to play soccer as well. That had been the first time she had thought of telling someone that she was really a girl. But she had scared of losing a best friend. "The boys always wondered why I was best friends with a girl!"

"I'm sorry?" Mrs. Tachikawa asked as she saw Tai lose focus and think about something. "I didn't quite get that last part."

Tai blinked and then blushed. "Ah, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking loudly. I was just remembering someth8ing from my past." Looking down at the table, Tai held back a tear. "I was remembering the time I met Sora, and how I was still believing the stuff I was told. How a girl was weaker then a boy, and couldn't play the same type of sports!"

Tai blinked as she felt a pair of Hand encircle her and pull her into a hug. A hand was softly rubbing her hair and a soft voice spoke into hers ear as she silently cried. "There, there. Let it all out. Forget the pain. Don't believe what they told you?"

"Mum?"

Both girl and woman turned to see Mimi staring at them. Slowly the elder woman stood up and smoothed out her dress. "I'm going to leave you two alone, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about." Turning, she walked out of the door, after grabbing her husband and dragging him with her.

Remaining in the room, Tai looked at the pink loving girl. "Sooo." Not getting an answer, Tai grumbled and turned to drink some more of her tea while looking out at the ocean, such a nice view. 

***************

One hour later.

*STARE*

Tai felt a vain pop on her forehead at the very intense stare Mimi was giving him. Somewhat next her and little behind, Mimi were going to drill a hole through her with that stare if she didn't stop. Grumbling again, she turned around and looked back to give a small glare of her own at the younger girl. "Will you stop that?" Snapping a little as she spoke, she noted that felt a little better. 

Mimi blinked her eyes, inside, her brain was nearly giving up on getting used to see Tai with that big brown mop of hair let down and looking so much like a, well he… no she was looking so girlish like, maybe it was because she was a girl. Her little fumble with her hands had proved that fact earlier. Suddenly her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the memory of touching another girls... "Waah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I touched your" 

A loud thump followed as the cup fell from the brunette's hand, and then Tai glared at her. "Stop that, can we please for that thing. I don't want to remember, well you know." Turning back to stare at the ocean, she tried to hide her own blush. Dammit, this was not what she had expected when her friends found she was a girl, a confused look, yes. Maybe a demand for an explanation, or a little anger for not telling her sooner and then a quick forgiveness and they all lived happily ever after. Not something like this, a friend passing out, getting molested by another girl. "Anyway, what are you and your family doing way out here?" Trying to change the subject and get her mind out of the gutter, Tai quickly jumped on the first thing she could think off.

Mimi coughed and then looked out at the ocean as well. "My father wanted a nice family vacation in a quiet place." Taking a quick look back into the house, she shook her head. "He kinda stressed out right now, what with his princess fighting powerful monsters and seeing most of the center of Odaiba getting leveled in the process."   

Tai nodded at that, she was just glad that the place her family lived in hadn't gotten trashed beyond the hole; Graymon had punched in the side of it when the bakamons kidnapped her mum. "Yeah, mum spent a whole week crying for joy whenever she saw us. And dad, I've never seen him so upset before." It had been a rather long four hour long talk between the Yagami kids, and their parents. The topic: lying and hiding a digital monster in the house behind her parents back. 

Mimi nodded. Her own apartment was a complete wreck. The bakemons had smashed their front door. Destroyed all the rooms and torn everything to shreds. But that had only meant that she could shop for new stuff. Mimi's eyes suddenly lit up as she turned to look at Tai. "Tai, would you do me a little favor?" 

Blinking, at the very pleading sound in Mimi's voice, the brown haired girl turned her head around to tare at Mimi. Slowly, she felt a panic rise in her chest. She had seen the same type of look on her sister's face when she wanted something. It was a look that meant trouble. "What is it Mimi?"  

Mimi slowly grabbed the older girl's wrist. "I'll have to show you. It's in my room." Grinning madly on the inside, Mimi was beginning to form a plan in her head, a plan that Tai most definitely wouldn't like. "Please, it would mean a lot to me?" 

Tai resolved crumbled under the dread puppy eye look, and slowly her head dropped down. "Okay."

Mimi clapped her hands together. "Okay, it's right this way." Looking back, she gave Tai an evil stare. "And I'm still waiting for you to explain this mess, and don't try to change the subject again."

**************

Tai stared in horror at what she was seeing. She may have wanted to be like a girl again, but to get crammed into this, pink thing, it was almost too much for her. Lifting her hands, she stared at the white gloves Mimi had put on them, behind her, she felt Mimi pull a comb through her hair while humming to the latest hit from the J-pop list. "How did you talk me into this?"

Mimi looked down as she tied the bow in place and stepped back. "Well, I just used my well trained feminine charms on you. There all finished, take a look at yourself Tai-chan." Stepping further back, she pulled off the small beach towel she had covered the large mirror at the wall with. "Meet your feminine side." 

Tai stared at the girl looking back at her. Dressed in a form fitting, sleeveless pink dress that reached her ankles, two small slits ran up to where her thighs began. Pink sandal on her feet, and a matching pink bow in her hair, she felt like groaning in pain. She may be girl, but that didn't mean she had to like the color pink. "It's so pink."

Mimi looked from the reflection in the mirror to Tai with a critical eye. "You're right. I could work all my magic on you, but pink is just not your color, maybe something in blue." Stepping over to the closet she had filled with enough clothes to last a month, she began to rummage through it all, giving a humming sound whenever she found something that might work with Tai. Finally her head came back out, and a very annoyed Mimi shot a dark look at the clothes inside the closet "Darn, there's nothing blue in here. White, pink and a few green things but nothing blue." Turning to face her, she looked at Tai with glittering eyes that scared the poor brown head. "But don't worry. I'll be here all week. I'm sure that even in this back water town, they will have something that's you."

Tai gave a weak smile and took a few test steps in the dress. The last time he had worn a dress had been four years ago to a distant cousin's birthday party. "Gee, that's okay Mimi. You don't have to this. Ill just stick with my t-shirt and jean okay?" Her total tomboy side was still going strong, but it was getting a bit weaker then it had been a week ago, but back then, she had been surround by all of her friends. And there was no way her wallet would survive a shopping day with Mimi.

Mimi clapped her hands together and shook her head. "That's no problem. I was getting bored anyway. Shopping's no fun alone." Looking at Tai who was back to staring at herself in the mirror, she suddenly got a big and very un-Mimi like smile. Slowly she pulled out a small object from her small handbag on the table and looked at it. "Hey Tai, smile." A bright flashed filled the room and Tai looked over, shocked at Mimi as she looked down at the picture forming on her digital camera. "Tai, I told you to smile. Just look at this!" 

Tai looked at the small camera screen and gave a small squeak. It was her, looking rather innocent and with a curious and slightly shy look. Her brown hair stood out clearly with the pink dress and white wall behind her. Slowly a tear formed in her eye and slowly she ran a finger over it as it trembled. "My first real picture of me, the one I am." Speaking in a very low whisper, so low that Mimi couldn't hear her, a small and well-hidden part of her began to show itself. Looking up at Mimi, she handed the camera over and stood still for a few moments as she wondered what she would look like in a blue summer dress.

Mimi looked down at the picture, and then turned to stare at Tai with half closed eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean too." Feeling rather small and ready to crawl into a hole. She lifted up the camera. "I can erase it if you want. I didn't." Mimi stopped talking as a gloved finger landed on her mouth gently.   

Tai looked up from where she stood and gave a real and genuine smile at the cinnamon haired girl. "No, I just a little surprise. Do." Tai stopped talking and lowered her head to hide an embarrassed blush. "Do you think... I could a copy of it?" 

Mimi looked at Tai and slowly removed the finger. "Sure you can." Turning to stare at the clothes on the bed, she smiled. "Want to take of the dress again. I think mum is getting ready with dinner down stairs." 

Tai looked at the t-shirt and jeans. "No, if you don't mind. I think I'll keep the dress on for a little more." Smiling as she saw the way Mimi's face lit up with happiness, she just knew she was going to regret the next few words. "So, when do you want to go shopping?" Mimi's shout of joy at Tai giving in nearly knocked Tai over in the chair.

At that exact moment, Mrs. Tachikawa looked in through the door. "Mimi-chan, Tai-Chan. Dinner." Opening her eyes, she gave a small squeak, and then she was standing in side the room. "Tai-chan, you look so beautiful." Eyes sparkling, she looked at Mimi. "Mimi-chan, you should tie a pink bow around the wrist of the gloves. It makes them so much more cute!"

Mimi looked at the gloves, and then at the small pink clothes pieces she used to make her bows with and nodded. Lifting one up, she pulled both of Tai hands towards her. "Don't move Tai, we're not quite done yet." Both mother and daughter started to apply more makeup and add a few more minor things to Tai's dress. 

Looking up, Mimi's mum held a finger to her lower lib while scanning the human dress up doll. "Don't move I'll be right back." With those words, Mrs. Tachikawa ran out of the room. After a few moments she returned with a small wooden box. Pulling opened the lid; she rummaged through the stuff in it. "Found them."

Tai looked up and gasped as she saw the objects in the hyper active woman's hands. Twin ear rings, both a yellow-gold color, almost to the point of being a brown tone. Standing still, she watched as Mimi's mum looked at the earrings and then at her ears, running a finger over them. "Wha… What are you doing Mrs. Tachikawa?"  

Looking down at the young girl, she smiled. "Your outfit needs some ear rings to be complete. I would say that you, Diamonds, sapphires, citrines or amber would go nice. All of them come in some form of brown or orange color, both should match perfectly with your hair." Putting the earrings back into the jewel box after nodding a bit. She began to look for another pair. "Maybe the one's my sister gave me last year." Looking up briefly at Tai, she gave a friendly stare. "It's a shame you haven't pierced your ears, it limits the amount of earrings you can use." Turning to face Mimi, she winked at her in a sisterly kind of way. "Mimi dear, why don't you come over here and help me?" 

Mimi grinned as she looked up from inspecting the ribbon they had used to tie the hair together with. "Sure." Bounding over, both females pulled up one set of earrings and looked at them and then at Tai. "I think he look better with the Pink sapphire earrings don't you, don't you?"  

Tai gulped as both females looked up with that look in their eyes. Seconds later, Tai felt a small pressure on both her ears, and then she was showed towards the mirror. Looking back at her, was the same girl as before, but now both gloves had a small pink ribbon around the wrist, and round pink earrings in a ring of gold on the ears. Staring closer, she felt the same feeling as before. That was really her wasn't it, the same girl who used to dress like a boy? It couldn't be her. She barely noticed it, but a single tear slowly made it way down her left cheek from her happiness. Then a thought struck her, and ruined the mood completely. "Wait, dinner? What time is it?"

Mimi mum looked down at the small clock on the night table. "Well, it's fifth-teen minutes to seven, why?"

Tai looked at them with a frantic look in her eyes. "I have to be back at the school at seven PM."

**************

Mrs. Yuna blinked her eyes as a car speeded into the school parking lot to stop in a very rude parallel parking, meaning that it took up four times the normal space of a car. Then she shook her head when she saw the new girl Taichi running up the gravel path after nearly jumping out of the car. Opening the window of her office she looked closer at the departing car. She could faintly see a young girl with long cinnamon colored hair waving from the other side of the car. As the car left, she opened the window completely and looked down at the young girl. "Miss Yagami, I hope you have a good reason for being five minutes late?"

Tai stopped and looked up at the older woman in the window. "Eh, I met a friend in town, and we started talking and I forgot the time." Bowing deeply, she looked up at the elder woman. "I'm very sorry, I promise it won't happen again."

Mrs. Yuna nodded and reached out a hand to close the window. Then she stopped her movement and looked back down at the brown haired girl who was rushing up the path again. "Come inside, wash your hands and come down to the dinner room, you should meet the other girls here." Seeing the girl nod, the elder woman closed the window and went out in search of the girls.

A little while later, Tai walked into the room. Taking a quick look around, she spotted Mrs. Yuna standing in front of a table, with two other girls standing next to the other chairs. Making her way over to the table quickly, Tai gave another bow to the elder woman. "Sorry for taking so long." 

Mrs. Yuna nodded in return and then turned to face the two other girls. "Young ladies, as you all know you're no students at Kasumi Freeway's alternate teaching school." Letting her words sink in, she stepped back. "But therefore we shouldn't forget ourselves. You all know who I am. But I'm sure you don't know each other's name." Looking at Tai, she gave a warm smile. "Why don't you start miss Yagami?"

Tai looked and gave a polite bow to the two girls in front of her. "Hi, my name is Taichi Yagami, but I prefer to be called Tai. I come from Odaiba, Tokyo and I'm eleven years old, well I'll be twelve soon." Looking up, she waited for the other girls to speak up.

The girl starting was a red head with two short pigtails. Wearing a pair of blue jeans, she sported a black t-shirt and an off the shoulder white shirt over it. "I'm Norika Kaifyuu. I'm eleven years old and I come from Kobe." As she stopped talking, she gave a small nudge at the girl beside her to get her going.   

Giving a start, the second girl looked up and smiled "I'm Hinako Misu, I'm twelve years old, and I come from Kanto. It's a pleasure to meet you Yagami-san." Tai sweat dropped at the very formal manners of this girl. Either she was very shy/scared, or she had been raised in a very traditional home. And judging from the way she dressed, Tai's eyes moved rapidly over the plain yellow dress she was wearing, it was the latter that counted in this case. It looked like it was the first time she was wearing a normal dress, instead of a Kimono. As the girl stopped talking, she began to twirl the end of her braid around in her hands in nervously.

As the three girls stood completely still, and looked from to the other, Mrs. Yuna clapped her hands to get their attention. "If you will take your places girls. Then I will bring in dinner." Moving down the large dinner room, she pushed open the doors into the kitchen.  

Tai gave a quick look at the other girls and shook her head. _I'm the digidestined of courage, and now I'm scared of talking to a pair of girls._ Tai sighed and lifted her head to look at Hinako. "So… Hinako-san…" Adding the san in the last moment as she remembered her formal way of talking, she gave a smile. "So… what do you think of the school?"

Looking from her very close inspection of her braid, Hinako gave a smile. "I find it to be a very friendly place. A bit from my last school, but I think I might enjoy my stay here." Blushing as she noticed how she had been talking, she lowered her head again. "It a nice school Yagami-San." 

A snort came from the red head as she looked at the braided girl. "A little scared hmm. Don't be, if anyone gives you trouble, just give them a quick one two to the face and they'll leave you alone." Cracking her knuckles at her words, Norika gave a nasty grin. "Aren't no one messing with me, I've got a black belt in Aikido. They try anything, and they'll be sorry." 

Tai gave a groan as Niroka did a mock punch into the air. Great, A female Joe and a Bruce Lee wanna be. She really hoped her roommate wouldn't be someone like them. No, she had really hoped for someone normal, someone who was just like the other girls from her old school. Feeling like banging her head on the table, Tai stopped when she smelled the delicious aroma coming from the food Mrs. Yuna was bringing in.

*************

Groaning, Tai pulled her body up the staisr. She hadn't been this tired in the digital world, she had been hungry, thirsty, scared and even confused. But tired, nooo, that was something that only happened on guard duty. Now, here, she had been running through half the city. Carrying around a fainted Mimi, and been used a live sized dressing doll. Then both Norika and Hinako had dragged her into a room to have a little girl-to-girl talk after Mrs. Yuna had encouraged them to try and get to know one another. When she had slipped and let out the fact that she used to dress like a boy everyday. Hinako had looked downright shocked, and Nariko had given her a thumps up. But that was all in the past, now the only thing on her mind was finding her bed. 

Stumbling into her room, Tai pulled off her shirt and pant's and quickly changed into her PJ before she dropped down on the top bunk and gave a loud groan. "I'm not leaving this bed until dinnertime tomorrow." Looking up from her pillow at the sound of footsteps, she cast a look down as the door opened and Norika and Hinako walked in, or marched in, in Norika's case. "How can you be so active?" Tai grumbled, she was normally hyper active herself, but not as much as this girl, what had she done, eaten a hole pack of sugar and washed it down with a few bottles of red bull.

Looking up, Norika gave a wide grin. "That's because I'm a red head. Red heads are always more active then others." Jumping down on the lower bunk she smirked. "And I'm the queen of hyper activeness, bow before me." Looking out, she gave a wink up at Tai. "Look's like we'll be bunking together. Hope you don't mind."  

Giving a bow, Hinako started to walk over to the door. "Goodnight Yagami-San, Kaifyuu-san." Opening the door, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "Have a pleasant night." 

Norika lifted an eye brown and shook her head. "Man, that girl is really something. She can beat old Mrs. Juri down the street anytime." Looking up at Tai's bunk, she grinned again. "Hey Yagami, up for a late night talk?" Her only response came in the form of a soft breathing. Seconds later, she looked up over the railing of the bunk bed and studied the sleeping face. "Man, she's out cold, now what am I'm going to do?"

*************

A few day's later.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Tai blinked, the dress was something else then the one she had tried the before. Made with a wide neckline, it had two short sleeves, and ended just above her ankles, and was colored completely in a deep blue tone. Giving a small twirl to the left, she looked at her reflection and gave a test smile. "I don't know Mimi. I think it's a bit aggressive for me."

Mimi looked up from the pile of clothes she had picked out and gave a small frown. "Really, then you would rather want the light blue instead, or perhaps the red one." Looking around the shop, Mimi stopped her talking and nodded. "Wait right here, I'll be back in a second." True to her word, the pink loving girl returned after a moment with another dress. "Try this one instead."

Tai picked up the dress and walked into the changing booth. Pulling the dark blue off, she lifted the other dress and shook her head. Before she unbuttoned the front. Moving her arms down the wide sleeves off it, she looked at the fine blue and white pattern on it. Made in a western style, it spread out below her waist and ended just below her knees. Buttering it up, she stepped out of the booth and walked over to look in the mirror.

Mimi grabbed her shoulders and pushed her closer to the mirror. "Well look at that, I had a feeling it would fit you just perfectly." Moving the brunette in around, Mimi looked at the front side of the dress. "You still need something, this is too dance like." Stepping back, she pulled out the first blue dress they tried and held it up before the girl. "Yes, now all I need to complete this is a special shirt."

Twenty minutes later, Tai stepped out of the booth in a blue dress whit no sleeves and a white T-shirt under it. Feeling her stomach grumble, she looked up at the store clock. "Mimi, can we stop, I'm hungry."

Mimi looked from the four other dresses she had found in the shirt time Tai had been inside the booth to change, she looked at the clock. "Sure, just as soon as you have tried these on." Tai groaned and hung her head as Mimi dropped the four dresses in her arms. Dinner was still light years away from her. 

Tai finally stepped out of the store, dressed in the blur dress with the white T-shirt and holding just one bag of clothes. She had been put through an one hour long talk with Mimi as to what she wanted to keep and what she was not going to buy. Feeling a little strange actully wearing a dress and walking through a city at the same time, She had to look down at the dress every minute to ensure that she was still wearing it.

"Look, shoes."

"Mimi, NO"

"Please?"

************

Thursday.

Tai looked around the TV room, intent on escaping the very boring day. First it had been Mrs. Yuna and Hinako discussing the importance of old traditions being kept alive in the modern society that had her nearly falling asleep. And going out to meet Mimi was out of the question since the Tachikawa's had left on a trip to a nearby town to visit some famous indoor hot springs in the region. And going out to relax in the grass field or somewhere down on the beach was out of the question, what with the summer rainstorm they were having at the moment. Tai had gone out to look for Nariko next. She seemed like a girl that was almost like herself, a sports freak. Maybe they could have had a small indoor soccer match, or hogged the TV for an all day Anime feast. After looking for an hour, she had learned from the others that Nariko had gone into town earlier. So now it was just herself, Lupin, Jigen and Goemon, well it was her watching Lupin, Jigen and Goemon outsmart Zenigata on the TV. Eating the snacks she had managed to smuggle out of the kitchen, she watched the classic anime movie babiron no oogon densetsu, part of the Lupin marathon running at the moment. As the movie ended, an episode from the TV series started playing, Tai felt a little bored, there was nothing funny about watching a Lupin film without anyone else around. So sitting, or lying on the couch, eating some snack and getting a little bored was Tai's program that day, right up on till the moment Nariko entered the room. Apparently, she spent her hard earned cash on a boom box, and was busy listing to some foreign radio station, with a very bad singer yelling about how poor the people were and how he only had a Cadillac to drive around in. As Nariko started singing along, making the song sound even worse, Tai threw the couch pillow after the red head. Seconds later, both girls was engaged in an all out pillow fight. Of course Nariko had acted fast as soon as the first pillow had smacked her in the face, and safely hid her boom box under the table. 

Panting, Tai looked down from her place on the couch at the grinning face of Nariko. "So, why the boom box?" 

Nariko smirked and lifted a finger. "You try living with three brothers and not pick up some of their faults." Hugging the boom box, she gave a small laugh. "Besides, I always wanted to have a boom box of my own, and now that I'm here, I figured, what the heck." Looking at the TV, She gave a small shout. "Oh, is that Rupan Sansei: Dead Or Alive"

Tai looked up and gave a nod as she saw the movie. "Well, I like that Lupin movie, but I prefer Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro anytime."

Nariko shook her head. "No dead or alive is clearly the best Lupin film there is. End of story."

Tai gave a glare down. "Heck no, Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro rules."

Nariko glared up at Tai with mock anger on her face. "Then I suppose you like Goemon the best huh?"

Tai shook her head as she followed the movie. "Nope, I'll pick Lupin or Jigen anytime." 

Nariko grinned as she settled back to watch the movie. "Yeah, Jigen rules."

************

Friday.

Tai stared in horror at the building waiting in front of her. While she didn't mind getting a little inside view as to how most girl's behaved, even she had her limits. "No more clothes! I'm running out of cash and I still haven't even looked at a laptop yet" True, she couldn't keep on hogging the computer in the data room on the school. Some things, she preferred to be kept private.

Mimi looked up from the outside display of clothes and shot a look at Tai. The brunette was dressed in lose overall and a white T-shirt, giving the image of her being a tomboy. "Please, I just want to look at some shoes, please!" Giving the puppy eye look at the defenseless brunette again, much to Tai annoyance worked like a charm. 

Two hours later, Tai and Mimi left the shop at last. Feeling a very powerful tick in her left eye, Tai shot a look at the nearest clock. "Now can I get that laptop?" Her voice had a very sharp edge and her fingers were nearly crushing the top box in the bag of shoes Mimi had bought.

Mimi looked up from her own bag and nodded. "Why not, we can just make it, but then I want to check out that ice cream shop we saw the other day, okay." Tai nodded and allowed her to be dragged off by Mimi, both of them looking for a small and cheap laptop. 

An hour later, Tai sat across from Mimi in the ice cream shop and looked at her new laptop. Done in a black color, it was a few grades behind the newer models. But that didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that it was cheaper that way. "Okay, I think I got it working now. All I need to do is hook it up to a phone line and I'm ready to go online." 

Mimi looked up from her ice and gave a small nod. Then she looked out the window of the shop "Well, it's getting late. I have to go back soon. We'll be heading back to Odaiba, Tokyo tomorrow." Pushing the last of the ice cream away, she smiled. "Tai, I really liked this week. Thank you."  

Tai looked up from the screen off the laptop and gave a nervous grin. "Eh, that's okay. You're not as annoying as I thought." 

Mimi gave a small glare at those words and turned around in her chair. "So, I'm annoying am I?" Casting an angry look out of the corner of her eyes as she crossed her arms.

Tai gave a loud sigh and pushed the laptop aside. "Look Mimi, what I meant was, you are not the obbsessive fashion craze girl I once thought okay, you're not annoying. I like spending time with you. You're funny." Giving a small smile, she looked out the window. "Besides, who else is going to teach me to be a girl?" 

Mimi turned back around in her chair and gave a small grin. "You are so easy to freak out Tai-chan. Now come on, I want to see the beach one last time okay." Standing up, she looked at Tai. "I think mum wants you to stay for dinner tonight. If that's okay with you?" 

Tai looked up and cast a curious look at the cinnamon haired girl. "Eh, okay. But I have to Mrs. Yuna for premission first okay." Closing the laptop and turning it off, the two girls left the ice cream shop.

************

Saturday.

Tai looked at Mimi with a small tear in her eye. The last five day's had passed in a hurry, almost to fast for her, but she was glad anyway, glad that she now had a least one friend who knew that she was a girl. Running a hand through her neatly combed hair, well the part of it, that wasn't pulled into a ponytail, she tried to sum up her courage and not cry in front of her friend. Stepping a little forward, she wrapped the pink loving girl in a friendly hug "Goodbye Mimi-chan. I'll see you for the Christmas party." Losing up on her hug, she gave a loop sided grin. "I'll mail you everyday, promise."

Mimi grinned and wiped away a tear of her own as she stepped back from the nervous girl. "I'll be waiting for it. And Tai-chan, if you should have any questions about you new life, don't be afraid to call me okay?" Holding the brown haired girl out and giving a good, friendly, not romantic, look at her. The blue summer dress did really look nice on the other girl. She gave a nod of approval at her handiwork. "Don't forget who you really are now, you hear. You're Taichi Yagami, the tomboy. Not Taichi Yagami the soccer boy."

Tai grumbled something under her breath at the comment, before she shook her head. Giving a small laugh she gave Mimi another hug. "I'll miss you Mimi-chan, and remember. Don't tell my secret to anyone. I want to be the one to tell them." Giving a final quick hug. The two girls parted, and Mimi stepped up to her parent's car. 

Looking back, the cinnamon haired girl gave a quick wink before getting into the back. Looking out her window, she gave a wink at Tai "Don't you forget to write, or else." Closing the window after giving a mock glare, the car started up. And after a minute, the Tachikawa's began the trip back to Tokyo, and the Odaiba district. 

Watching the car drive away until she couldn't see it anymore from where she stood. Tai held the small bag she had gotten from Mimi close. Slowly opening it, she blinked as she saw the small box on the bottom. Pulling it out and opening it, she gave a small gasp as light glinted off the orange stones set in the center of the fine silver threads. Hardly believing it, Tai looked at the two small earrings neatly placed on a small pink pillow. Then she closed the lid and replaced the box back into the bag.

Picking up the small note next to the box with the earrings, she unfolded it and grinned when she regoniced Mimi's handwriting. "Found these earrings in a small shop when we visited the hot springs. I talked with my mum and we both agreed that they would great on you. I look forward to seeing them on you when you come back. Sincerely, Mimi." Looking at the box, Tai grimaced. "Great, now I have to get my ears pierced." Tai folded up the note and turned around. Leave it to Mimi to pull something like that. But she was glad for them. 

Walking back toards the main building of the school, Tai grinned. It would be a lonely six months without her old friends. But she would be looking forward to seeing them all again. Not as a girl hiding as a boy, but as Taichi Yagami, the girl. 

Tbc.

Movie translations.

Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro - Lupin the III: Castle of Cagliostro. 

Rupan Sansei: Dead Or Alive – Lupin the III: Dead Or Alive

Rupan Sansei: babiron no oogon densetsu – Lupin the III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon

What can I say? I'm a Lupin fan. 

AN: Wow, the new time plan with two weeks to write a chapter really works. I didn't feel stressed at all, and the story doesn't look rushed. Well it doesn't to me. And I had the time to work things out, do some research, The Japanese title for the Lupin films. Anyway, look for the next chapter in two weeks time as well. Tai finally goes home for Christmas week. How will the other digi-destined react to Tai? Read the next chapter.

The last part of the story looks a little rushed. But I did them in that style, instead of having to write a small novel to each day. Besides, I think the small part from each day works rather well. Anyway, the next chapter should be more like a normal one. Please bear with me if this chapter has left you confused.

Dak. 

------------------------

Answer to Reviewers:

Mass answer to all those who asked me to make this a Taito/Yamachi - Tai/Matt – Taichi/Yamato pair up: Not going to happen, if there's anything in this story, it friendship only. I don't have a problem with any pairing, but unless the story is meant to have romance in it. It won't work out.

Also, I'm a little offended by this unknown reviewer. 

"hell, you better make yamato x taichi! that's the best couple!!!!!!!!!! if they don't like it, to bad for them!"

If you have a question or feel I should put something in the story. Ask about it. Don't order me around. If it happens too often, I'll stop writing. I know that there is only one review of this type, but it is better to prevent the problem before it's get too big.

-------------------------------------

DigiWizardress.

"Thank you for the flashback!! It helped me in understanding your story better." 

Your welcome, I hope you like this chapter as well. Not really a flashback in it, but there was a very little part with Tai remembering something.

1: Why was Mimi at the town? 

A: This chapter should clear up that problem. Mimi was there with her family for a vacation.

2: Is she going to the same school as Tai?  

A: No, she is merely in that town to provide a small help for Tai to break out as a girl, and to give him at least on friend who knows that she is a girl and not a boy. 

--------------------------------

Dadaiiro.

"Hey! It is a very interesting story. I hope you continue it soon. I just wonder about the other digidestined." 

1:Will they ever find out? 

A: Next chapter. And it won't be they way you expect.

2: How will they react? 

A: Well, we'll just have to wait and see. No spoilers. 

"I hope you refer to them soon." 

Next chapter. I promise.

"Well, good luck. ganbate!"

Thanks. 

Ganbate?

-----------------------------

DarkLightAngel.

1: Wait, is Tai going to a LAWSCHOOL at 11 YEARS OLD?!  Isn't that kind of young? 

A: No, it is not a law school.

Kasumi Freeway's alternate teaching school (I made up the name) is a school that doesn't use the standard school system used by the Japanese schools. At Kasumi Freeway's school, there's a mixture of both Western style school systems and the standard Japanese system. 

In Japan, all students wear uniforms. At Kasumi Freeway's students are allowed to wear dresses, shirts, jeans, overalls and t-shirts, in short casual clothes instead of a standard uniform. It also works as a home away from home school. The students live on the school ground, thus giving a student a chance to get away from home if they don't like it, or if they are having problems fitting in with the normal school system. Or in Tai's case: A general desire to get away from it all and a just to a life with out feeling pressure from the normal crowd or surroundings.  

In short, call it a school for children with problems.

2: Oh, and I thought that Mimi was at vacation. 

A: Yes, Mimi won't be going to that school. She just happens to on vacation in the same town Tai will be going to school at. Wow, isn't the world a small place. Cough!

"Update soon!"

Well, I've updated. ^_^

------------------------------

Ja Ne.


	4. chapter III

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Summary: First part in the Series. Expected to be around four chapters + prologue. AU everyone, Taichi has a little secret, okay maybe it's not that little. 

Thoughts.

A few word before the fic starts. I've counted up the suggestions for a couple in this fic. The result can be found after the Authors Notes.

=====================================

Tai's little Secret

Part III

=====================================

The wind blew in from the ocean, and through the barren trees and white fields surrounding Kasumi Freeway's Alternate Teaching School. Bitter and cold, it brought with it the feeling of more snow, and long winter storms. While snow was pretty, the students living on the school had had more then enough of it. Far away from the heat of the big city, snow had already fallen a few times, and right now the area was covered in a six-centimeter thick layer of the white stuff.  

On the second floor, three girls looked out through a window, and straight down onto the snow covered parking lot outside the school. A small laughter came from the small study room as other students or sometimes a teacher walked or ran through it. Pulling back from the window, a girl with dark brown hair pulled into a short ponytail blinked her eyes. "We didn't have that much snow back in Odaiba". Shivering a little, the girl pulled back from the window and looked at the other two girls. "You know, I'm glad we're not going out in that weather."

A red headed girl with two pigtails gave a wide smile and looked at the girl. "Oh come on, I could really go for a snow ball fight right now." Turning her head away from the window, she grinned. "I love the winter." Sitting back down in her chair, she lifted up a small hand held videogame system and began to play it. "How about you Hinako?"

The girl in question moved away from the window and began to fiddle with the hem of her shirt. It had taken time, but the girl had finally gotten convinced to wear something else besides a big Kimono where ever she went. "It okay I guess, I wasn't really allowed to play outside." Looking back outside, she blinked her eyes. "What did you used to do in the winter Taichi-chan?"

Tai looked up from where she had been sitting. "Well, there was always the indoor soccer match or the snowball fights." Looking out the window, she gave a small smile. "But if I could get away from my friends. I would go out to ice skate." At the two blanks looks, she gave a loud sigh. "I used to dress as a boy, and at that time all my friends thought I was one." Sitting back, she closed her eyes. "And I just had to pretend to be a big tough macho kind of guy. The kind of guy who thinks skating is for losers." Turning a small glare to her left, she stared at the snikering form of the read headed girl. "And what is it, that's so fun Nariko?" 

Nariko gave a big and nasty grin at Tai. "Come on Tai-kun, I can't believe you were that stuck in your ideas." Standing up, she crossed her arms over her chest and spoke in a deep fake voice. "Taichi, Taichi, guys don't skate, not even guys who are really a girl pretending to be a guy, you know that." 

Tai stood up as well and stare at Nariko; then she crossed her own arms. "No it was something like this." Clearing her throat, Tai spoke in a deep voice as well. "Sorry Nariko, but you know me. If it can't be kicked around on a grass field, it's just not me style." 

Hinako looked from both of them and shook her head. "I can't believe you two." Then she gave a small laugh. As she stopped she looked up at them. "Well, should we go out and enjoy the snow, or stand around her and play guys from the rest of the night." Standing up, she looked at them with a twinkle in her eyes. "Besides, I haven't had a snowball fight yet."

Laughing, the three girls ran out of the door to find their winter clothes and engage in a friendly snowball fight. 

***************

The next day was a little warmer the day before. It was also the day everyone left for home, well for the students that didn't want to spend the vacation on the school, it was the day they left for home. So, in short, most of the students going to the school were standing outside in the winter cold, waiting for a family member to show up and get them.

And so were Tai, dressed in a long winter coat and holding a suitcase in one hand. She was waving at her father as he parked the car next to the place she was waiting. Turning around, she smiled. "Guess this is goodbye for now." 

Next to where her father was holding, a large black limo with toned windows stopped as well. Next to her Hinako kneeled and and gave a small smile as an elder man dressed in a standard servant outfit stepped out. "Good day Miss Misu, the master sent me to drive you home" 

Hinako swaetdropped and waved a hand nervously. "Ahh, that okay Shotaro." Looking to her right, she blushed when she nticed Tai fighting hard not to laugh, and Nariko's blank stare. "It will only be minute. Why don't you put my bags in the trunk." Turing around, she gave a small glare. 

Still half laughibg, Tai grabbed her two new friends in a hug. "Hinako, Nariko. I'll miss you two." Failing to find any appropriate words to express her feelings, the brunette stepped back and grabbed her suitcase. "I'll see you in two weeks, okay?" Standing back, she looked at Hinako. "   

Nariko grinned and lifted her hand up for a high five. "You bet, I'm not done with you yet, I'll beat you in soccer game one day." Pulling up her backpack, the redhead grinned. "Besides, with us gone, our team would fall apart."

Hinako lifted up her handbag and gave a quick bow to both of them. "Kaifyuu-san, Yagami-san. I wish you both a good vacation." As the driver and head servant at her home looked away, she gave them a short hug. "I'll see you after the vacation my friends." Stepping back, the formal and quiet girl, allowed the servant to open the cardoor for her. Looking at them, she gave a short wave before the car door slammed shot and the dark colored side windows of the family limo blocked her from view. 

Nariko looked up as a loud car horn filled the parking lot and gave a shout of joy. Nearly driving across the grass field as it turned to get up to the schools parking lot, a big and very noisy western type car nearly smashed the school postbox into the ground as it moved to avoid Hinako's Limo on its way. Stopping before the two girls, the driver of the car stepped out of the door and looked at them. "Dad!" The aforementioned man lifted his hand, and gave Nariko a thumps up. Opening the back door, the red head dumped her backpack on the back seat and slammed the door. "See ya Tai."  

Tai shook her head and turned to face her own father waiting at their car. "Let's go."

******************

The drive home was mostly spent in quietness, as Tai was feeling too sleepy from the soft movement of the car and the warm air. And thanks to the snow falling, her father had to keep her full concentration on the road. So the raid was spent with Tai drifting in and out of sleep and her father sometimes asking her a question when they pulled over for gas or they had to stop for a red light. Still, as boring as the drive was, it was over after a few hours driving. As the car pulled over to stop outside the apartment building, Tai blinked her eyes and looked up at the place where she had been living with her family, giving a sigh of joy, Tai stepped out of the car and grabbed her suitcase.  

After having to walk all the way up to where her parents and little sisters lived, someone had broken the elevator. Tai placed her suitcase on the floor of her old bedroom and gave a quick look around the room. Very little had changed since she had been here last, but she could clearly see something that hadn't been there before. A picture she knew all to well was standing on the single desk in the room. Lifting it up, she stared at a puzzled image of herself wearing a very formal pink dress. "Mimi!" 

As the word left her mouth, the sound of someone turning around could be heard. Looking back over her shoulder, Tai gave a faint smile. Lying on the bed, sleeping, was Kari. Looking at Kari, Tai shook her head, she hadn't really thought much of it, but with her new hairstyle, she did look a lot more like her little sister. Grabbing the blanket, she pulled it up over the younger girl. "Sweat dreams Imotu-chan." Stepping back, Tai slowly walked over to her suitcase and pulled out her pajama.

******************

Tai grumbled as she felt someone stare at her in her sleep. Rolling over in her bed, she began to pull her blanket higher up. Still getting the feeling, Tai pulled down the blanket and sent a small glare over her shoulder. Slowly she blinked as she spotted the two very intense brown eyes staring back at her from under a mop of light brown hair. "Kari?"

The younger girl smiled and then she wrapped her arms around the older girl. "Nee-chan you're home. I missed you so much." Releasing her sister, Kari gave a very mistive filled look at her sister. "I see the time you spent with Mimi has changed you."  

Tai blinked her eyes. Then she lowered her gaze to stare at the very feminine pajama she had started to sleep in. "Yeah, I guess you could say that Imuto. Wait, how did you know I met Mimi, She didn't tell anyone did she?" Tai went into a full-blown panic at the thought of Mimi telling the others about her. "I'm dead if they hear what she did."   

Kari grinned from her place on the bunk bed. "Oh you mean the dress she made you wear?" Slowly, she grinned as she remembered the way her mum had reacted to seeing it. "You should have seen mum, she gave Mimi a third degree hearing, wanting to know what kind of dresses suited you best, what size you were and what kind of color you liked them to be." 

Tai blushed and slowly lifted her hand to her left ear. If her mum reacted like that to something as simple as a dress, how wouldn't she react to "Mum doesn't know about my ears does she?"

Tai turned her head and gave a small gasp as she saw the light glint off to small yellow colored stones on each ear lope. "Nee-chan, you got your ears pierced! That's so cool. Did it hurt? How much did it cost you?" Lifting up her hand, she ran it across the small stud sticking out of both ears. 2 Do you think I get my ears pierced too?"

Tai grumbled and began to wonder just why the heck she had gone along with the piercing. Mrs Yuna had spent an entire evening telling her about the importance of the school rules, and just what she could do and not do. She had gotten off easy from the whole thing, only a week of confinement to her room after the school hours. She had feared Mrs. Yuna had told her to removed the studs and let the holes grown together again, but Mrs. Yuna had given in to her pleas and let her keep them, but she could only wear the small gold studs or the small gemstone tipped studs, she bought a month after the piercing. Lifting a hand and running a finger over the small gemstones, she gave a small smile. "I wouldn't bet on it Imuto, you know how mum feels about this kind off stuff."

Kari grumbled and crossed her arms. "Yeah, She'll give me the parent eye, and then say something about waiting to I'm a little older before I can think about mutilating my body."   

"That's right, I will not have my girls looking like a goth." 

Both girls turned to face the woman standing in the doorway. "Now Tai, I couldn't help but overhear you telling Kari that you have gotten your ear pierced." As Tai opened her mouth to protest, she closed it again, when the don't-you-argue-with-me-young-lady-look came up on her mothers face. Walking calmly over to Tai, Mrs. Yagami grabbed her head and turned it from side to side, glaring at the two studs. "They are small, I'll give you that. But I still don't like the fact that you did it." Stepping back, she lost the angry look and instead gave a wide smile and held out her hands. "Now come give your mother a hug." As Mother and daughter embraced for the first time in six months, she looked at the messy hair of her daughter and ran a hand through it. "That's my girl, but don't think you're off the hook yet."  

Tai sighed as she felt her mother hug a bit harder at the last word. "Yes mum."

******************

The first few hours of the day passed rather fast after Tai had woken up. While she did have to answer a hundred questions by both her mother and sister, it didn't take as long as she had thought it would, giving her most of the day off. And that was why she was now sitting in her room, staring at the cell phone on her desk like it was a forbidden fruit. A part of her wanted to call her friends and invite them over, another part was sceaming in fear and doing everything to stop her.  

Kari stared at Tai from the doorway. While it had been fun to watch her pick up the phone and nearly dial Sora, Matt or Izzy just to put it down and stare at it some more. It had really gotten boring after awhile. "Tai, Tai… TAI!" Finally the brunette turned her head around and stared at her. "Do you want me to call them for you." Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed the phone and quickly dialed up the first name on the phone list. "Izzy? Hi, it's me, Kari, listen, Tai has something to tell you. Can you come over around 3pm?" 

Tai looked up from where she sat and slowly stared out the window. "Thanks Imouto." The words were soft and low spoken, but the younger girl still heard them and smiled. Grabbing the nearest pillow, Tai looked out the window again.

Kari looked at her big sister and shook her head. It was rare for Tai to get into a mood like this, and when she did, it was hard to get her out of it again. Quickly lifting up the phone, she ran down through the list and dialed up the number of the only one of the chosen children who knew Tai's secret. "Mimi, it's Kari, Tai's home again. We're gonna tell everyone today. But Tai's a little jumpy, think you can help us get her to relax?"

It only took Mimi twenty minutes to get over to them. Ringing the doorbell for a few seconds, she stepped back and grinned. It had been hard not telling everyone she knew that the restless and hotheaded leader of the digi destined wasn't a guy, but a girl. Still it had come a little close from time to time, but she had managed to keep her promise.

Slowly the door opened, and Kari looked out through the small crack, seeing Mimi her face lit up and then she pulled the door completely open to let in the elder girl. "Mimi, come in. Tai's in our room waiting."

Mimi stepped in and dumped her bag on the floor as she pulled off her shoes. Looking at Kari, she smiled. "So, tell me. Has Tai improved since I last saw her, I had a hard time finding clothes for her. She couldn't even tell me which color she liked." Mimi looked up and gave a small bow as she spotted Mrs. Yagami hovering in the background, trying to clean the same lamp for the sixth time. "Hello Mrs. Yagami."

Kari shot a small look at her mother, the she grinned. "Well, she still wear the goggles from time to time." Closing the apartment door, she stepped back into the corridor leading down to the living room and the kitchen. "Mum, the others will be here at 3PM." As her mother gave a silent nod, she opened the door into the sibling's room. "Tai, Mimi's here." 

Mimi looked over the younger girls shoulder and gave aloud squeal. "You got pierced." Rushing in, nearly stepping over Kari in the process, she stopped at the chair Tai was sitting in and looked closer at the gold studs. "Neat, are those citrine gem stones?"

Tai lifted her hand and slowly touched the mention studs and nodded. "Cost me two months worth of allowance and extra work in the school kitchen. But they're mine." Leaning back in the chair, Tai absently moved her hand over the goggles lying on the table. "Mum freaked at the sight off it though." Tai's shrugged her shoulder and returned to staring out the window. "Guess cousin Hiyako left a rather bad impression on her." 

Tai briefly remembered the once neat and always polite cousin that one day showed up wearing a tight leathr skirt and dark top with a leather jacket over it. Of course, coloring her hair black and then wearing an overload of black make up didn't help the picture much. That had been the last time the Yagami family had visited that part of the family. Still, it wasn't much of a loss.

Back in  the real world, Mimi looked down at the blue hello kitty t-shirt and plain jeans Tai was wearing. "So, what are you going to wear when they show up?"

The brunette gulped and looked up at Mimi, the memory of six hour long shopping trips and getting dressed up in one thing after another. "Uh, I think these would work good enough, don't you?"

Mimi frowned and looked at the afore mentioned clothes with a professional fashion hunters eye and gave a loud "Hmmmm" Standing up, she grabbed Tai's head and spun it from side to side. "Well, the T-shirt works somewhat with your hair. But the jeans definetly are out." Grabbing her hands, she looked closer at the nails and fingers. "You could use some nail polish." Stepping back, she spun the chair, with Tai in it, around and looked at Kari with a glint in her eyes. "Kari, bring in my bag." Holding up her hand to stop Tai's protests, she looked at the brunette. "Tell me, do you have any skirts?" Closing her eyes, she reached out her hand and pushed Tai back into the chair. "When I'm through with you, no one will doubt you're a girl. Muhahahaha" 

Tai gulped again as Mimi started crackling. "Where's Agumon when you need him." Earning him a very dark look from Mimi as she heard those words. "Um, so what color clothe do you think I should wear. _Wrong subject stupid! _Tai mentally slapped herself as she saw the mad glint reform in Mimi's eyes.

Kari looked back at the room with a sweat drop on her head. "Poor Nee-chan." Then she lifted up the phone and began to call the rest of the digi destined, asking them to come over at 3Pm. 

Despite having to play dress up with Mimi one more time, Tai found herself starting to relax. It might be a pain having to put up with Mimi nearly pulling out all her clothes and then stuffing them back in the drawer when they weren't up to her liking. Finally the cinnamon haired girl seemed to settle on a blue skirt and a light blue t-shirt. Then putting up with some girl fussing over her with a wide selection of eye shadow and lib stick, but at least time moved a little faster, and she could put aside her worries for later, and worry about the outcome of Mimi experiment. 

******************

Kari looked at the group of kids as she opened the door. From the looks of it, all of them were there. Sora, Matt, Joe, Izzy and TK. Stepping back from the door, she allowed them step inside. Looking as the others took off their coats and shoes, she closed the door. "Tai's in our room waiting for you."

Sora grinned and quickly made her way towards the door leading into Tai and opened the door. "Tai…" Then she trailed off and simply stared into the room with a blank expression on her face. „Tai?" 

The four boys looked at her strangely, then they walked up and stared into the room. Whatever they had been thinking about; was forgotten as they saw Tai. 

Sitting at the desk inside the room, she was wearing a blue t-shirt under a white blouse that was unbuttoned. Her hair had been combed back by Mimi and was pulled into a small ponytail with only a lock of hair falling down the sides of her head. But the children didn't notice this at first, what they saw, was a very thin Tai wearing a blue skirt, then their eyes moved up and stopped to stare at the very nervous look on Tai's face and then the fact that he was wearing lipstick became clear. 

Kari looked back from where she stood and smiled. "So, what do you think of my Nee-chan?"

Matt being the cool and levelheaded person he were, took this in the best way he could, when faced with something like this. "Tai, what the… You're a girl?" Meaning he blurted out the first thing to get through the haze of complete shock he was under. 

Behind him, a small thud could be heard as Joe gave up trying to get a hold on reality and decided to take a quick nap. Mimi looked down at Joe and gave a small sigh. "Tai-chan, I think we gave Joe a heart attack." Looking at the small blonde kid in the horrible fashion disaster, She gave a cute smile at him. "TK, can you help me get Joe out into the living room, he might need some space." 

Sora looked at Tai and felt something inside her break. Stepping back, she turned to look at the other children. "Matt, Izzy. Can I get a moment alone with Tai." Her voice turned ice cold as her head moved back to stare at the brunette standing before her. As Sora increased her glare, the other girl stepped back and with a loud ump sat down on the side of the bunk bed. "We need to talk about this in private." Matt and Izzy stepped back and nodded their heads at the frost level of her voice. In fact, it was almost a contest to see who could get out of the room first.   

The door closed as the other children Finished leaving the room. Patiently waiting for her explanation, Sora stood with her arms crossed and a cold look on her face. Even as the brunette moved to sit more comfortable on the bed, her eyes never changed. But on the inside, she felt as if she had been kicked and beaten repeatedly. The only thing she could even think off to say was the simple word. "Why?" 

Tai looked up from her bed and into the face of her best friend, ever since meeting Sora on the soccer field, they had been best friends. But now, She could see the look of pain in the other girls face. She could see the sadness and the feeling of betrayal as well. "Sora, I…"

A single hand movement from the reddish brown haired girl silenced her in an instant. All the doubts in the redheads mind had vanished, and all that was left for now was the hurt, and the desire to lash out, to give back some off the hurt.  "How could you? You can tell Mimi, but not me?" Anger and venom fall with each word as the sudden anger that had ignited inside Sora consumed her. "I can't believe it, didn't our promise mean anything to you?"

Tai opened her mouth to defend herself, but closed it when she noticed the way Sora's shoulders were shaking. Slowly, a set of word formed in her mind and she felt her mouth move in an automatic way as she spoke. "Sora, I didn't mean to lie, I was…" 

"Save it Tai." The words were coated in a thick layer of ice. Looking back to the Brown haired girl, Sora's eyes held a deep hurt, a hurt that Tai had never wanted to see in them. But behind them, a world of confusion raged. "I can't… I need… I…" Sora stepped back and turned around in one movement to hide the hurt and fear running across her face. "I…" The shaking of her shoulders had gotten worse and the sound of half hidden sobs could clearly be heard in the quiet room. She couldn't handle it. It was too much. He… no she couldn't just have been a… the one she… Slowly her heart clenched in on it self and the fear and anger she had felt rushed out ash she wanted to lash out and hurt Tai just as she had been hurt. "I HATE YOU!!" Turning around on her heels, the ember-orange haired girl stormed out of the room.

Behind her, Tai reeled back, as she heard the words. Her oldest friend, her best friend, the one she had never wanted to hurt, had been hurt. And now she… "Sora?" Standing up, she reached out a hand. Somehow hoping that it could reach her best friend and pull her back again. To give her the time to explain, to explain why she had nearly started to lie even for herself. "Sora?" The name fell from her Mouth and cashed to the ground as her froze over and broke. Dropping back onto the bed, Tai started to cry. 

Looking in through the door. Four pair of eyes stared at the boy. Two of them belonged to her parents, and the other two to her little sister and the one who given the support she had need to face her friends. Mimi slowly looked at the shocked person's sitting in the living room. "Guys, I want you to sit down and listen, if you have any questions, wait until Tai has told you the reason for why she did this, okay?" The once timid girl who cried at the thought of breaking a nail vanished as Mimi stepped and took charge of this… mess.   

Behind them, the sound of Kari trying to calm her big sister down could clearly be heard. And both parents were openly debating if they should retreat and allow the kids to handle this, or get actively involved in the problem.

Not far from the apartment, an ember-orange haired girl, wearing a green colored dress shirt and blue jeans, banged her hands against the wall as she tried to beat down the feeling of pain and despair inside her. Tears were openly leaking from her eyes and her shoulders were openly shaking as she turned around and continued to try and escape the pain in her heart. "Why Tai, why couldn't you just tell me?" 

Tbc

AN: Well, if I were to describe this chapter in a few words, it would have to be, could have been better. I had a lot of problems with this, and to top it off I got a small winter depression last week, parts of this just don't work with me. Well, one can't win every time. 

Send me your opinions, comments or just something to show that you're still reading this fic.

Expect the next chapter in three weeks time. I'm a little behind on two other fics and I'd like to get them out of the way for the time being.

Thank you for reading,

Dak.

A while back, I was looking at all the suggestions for me adding a romantic aspect to this story. But I'm still sticking with my, No romance, just friendship point.

But, I did count all the different suggestions I gotten, and here's the results.

Taito/Yamachi: 6 votes.

Michi: 1 vote.

Taiora: 1 vote.

Tai/Davis: 1 vote. 

Mail response time.

Q: Question.

A: Answer.

C: Comment.

R: Reply.

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MagnaLivamon    

C: I do not like this fic. TAICHI/TAI IS A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R: Well. I'm sorry to read that. But you don't need 147 exclamation marks to point that out. One or two is enough.

C: Do one like in a parralel world, he's a girl. (Part of the fic im writing right now.)

R: The letters used to mark this as an Alternate Universe fic can be found in the summery of each chapter. 

C: I really think this is not good. 

R: Well, I'm sorry to read that. But I thought it was a good idea, so I wrote it. 

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airfire0

C: Lupin? You have got to be kidding me, both the sub and the dub are EVIL!!! I would have acually enjoyed the one Lupin movie I saw had it not been for the heinious subbing, I mean there were subtitles when they didn't even speak, whole paragraphs without the character saying a single word; on top of that the little Japanese I could understand allowed me to see that the Subs were completely off I mean how does 'goodbye' translate to 'I love you' HUH?! 

R: What Lupin movie was it? I don't know anything about the subs, but the dub is, in my opinion, a little better then the subs. But since I have only seen three Lupin movies in total, even my opinion is lacking. My suggestion is that you try seeing another movie, it may just be that one movie you saw, suffered from a bad sub.

C: That's it for my Lupin rant, as for the story, I still enjoy it and am loking foreward to the next part.

R: I'm glad that you're still reading this. There's supposed to only be one part left of this fic, but there could be a extra chapter or two.

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DigiWizardress    

C: I love it!!!! I could say that a million times!!! I really like how you aren't making the characters really OOC because the story would be kinda ruined then. 

R: Thank for the comment, I really like to hear that you like my story. It's comments like that, that keeps me going.

Q: Are the two girls Tai meets the only ones at the school

A: No, at the time Tai came to the school, only two other students had shown up. I think I wrote it in the part with Mrs Yuna, she explained that new students met a week earlier then the ones who had already been there. The start of this chapter should hopefully give the impression that there are other students beside Tai, Hinako and Nariko.


	5. Chapter IV

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Summary: Fourth part in the Series. Expected to be around four chapters + prologue and an epilouge. AU everyone, Taichi has a little secret, okay maybe it's not that little. 

Last time on Tai's little Secret, Tai revealed to the other digi destined that she was a girl and not a boy. Sora didn't take the news very well and ran off. Now Tai is faced with explaining to the other kids why she has been dressing as a boy for the last five years, and finding Sora so she can explain why she even lied to her best friend.. 

_Thoughts_.

A few words before the fic starts. I've counted up the suggestions for a couple in this fic, and the result can be found right after the Authors Notes.

=====================================

Tai's little Secret

Part IV

=====================================

*******************

"Well?"

The word hit her right in the face when she stepped out of the door. Looking up, Tai stared at the waiting eyes of her friends, eyes demanding her to give a very good explanation. Taking a deep breath, Tai gave a small jump when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  Slowly turning her head, she looked into the eyes of Mimi. 

Kari looked up at her big sister and smiled. "Come on Nee-san. You stood up to Myotismon and the Dark Masters. You have the courage to get through this."

Tai nodded and then looked back at her friends. "Well, it's a long story… It all started five to six years ago back in Highton View Terrance."  Tai sat down on the couch in the living room as she told the story of why she had spend so many years dressing as a boy, and her fear to tell the others what she really was. "I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner, but I was scared." Looking away, Tai cursed her sudden fear at facing her friends.

Matt looked from where he sat and stared at the brunette. "Tai… I… You should have told us sooner." Matt snapped as he shook his head. "I can't believe you would think something like that."

Joe nodded and stood up. "We're your friends." Walking around the table, Joe grabbed her shoulders. "No matter who or what you are, I respect you." Smiling, Joe stepped back. "I still respect you. You held us together in the digital world." Looking at the others Joe nearly grinned. "I must admit I somehow expected it. After all, it was strange how you were always more edgy and more angry at the end of every month."

Tai blinked her eyes, and then blushed madly. "Can we talk about something else then that?" Glaring over her shoulder, she looked at the pink loving girl giggling behind her. "Sure, wait until it's your turn to suffer that." 

Mimi slowly stopped laughing and then wiped away a tear from her eye. "Sorry, it was… you should have seen your face." Laughing again, Mimi walked over to sit down next to Kari.

Izzy looked around the room and then looked at Tai. "I agree with Joe. You're my friend. It's going to take more then this to break that." Returning to work on his laptop.

Matt stood up and looked at Tai. "So what was up with Sora?"

Tai looked up at the blonde and felt her heart clench at the memory of Sora's hurt look. "I… She were hurt by it, she was so angry about… I didn't mean to hurt her." Tai slowly curled up and felt a crying fit coming. "She said… She said that she hated me." 

Matt looked at her, and then out the window. "Tai, it was the shock speaking. Sora doesn't hate you." Looking at the brunette, he clenched his hands as he made up his mind. "Look, Tai, you wait here, and I'll go talk with Sora about this. She needs to know what you told us."

Tai mutely nodded and looked up when she felt her little sister hug her. "It's okay Tai. Matt knows what he's doing." 

*******************

Away from the Yagami apartment, and in the comfort of her own bedroom, Sora wiped away the last tear from her eyes. "Damn you, do you even know how I felt?" Lifting the picture frame, Sora stared at the eight years old boy with the baggy clothes posing for the camera, then her eyes slid over to herself standing next to him. "How COULD YOU LIE TO ME!?" The picture shattered as it smashed into the wall. As the glass fell down over her desk and carpet, Sora curled up into a ball again. Crying her eyes out. 

Ignoring it at first, Sora didn't lift her head up until she heard the doorbell ring for the sixth time. Slowly standing up, she opened the door to her room and mutely walked out to get the door. Looking up as she opened it, she felt a frown form when she recgoniced the blond hair and the blur eyes of the boy outside. "Did Tai send you? Cause if h… She did. I don't want to talk with you."

Matt blinked at the harshness of the words, and barely managed to stop the door from closing. Looking at the puffy red eyes of the digi destined of love, Matt cringed. "Look Sora, Tai is just as hurt as you. She over there crying her eyes out."

Sora felt a moment of pain, but ignored it as she looked at the blond haired boy. "So what, she hurt me first. She told Mimi but not me." Nearly screaming, she glared at the holder of friendship. "I'm her best friend, but she couldn't even tell me something like this. Some friend." 

Matt slammed out his hand and stopped the door from closing again. "Look, can I come in. I think you should know something"  

Sora stared at the blond boy, and briefly wondered if she should just slam the door in his face and return to cry out her eyes. Then her curiosity won over her. "Okay, but only five minutes."

Sora looked up from where she sat, and shook her head. "She hid her gender because of that?" Standing up, Sora glared at the wall. "I had to deal with stuff like that as well." Sora snapped as she remembered the mocking laughter of the other kids when she had first signed up for the school soccer team.

Matt sighed and stood up. "And who supported you on that day." Matt looked at the face of Sora as she turned around to stare at him. "Don't you remember the practice match?" 

"Of cause I do, that was when I first met Tai here in Odaiba." Glaring, she crossed her arms and thought back to that day. "The other kids were teasing me about being the only girl on the team, when Tai turned around and defended me from the teasing." Looking at Matt, she gave a cold smile. "I'm glad she did it, but couldn't she had told me her secret then?"

Matt stood up and looked at the holf of love. "Sora, think about it. That was her first week there. She had just joined the team as well. And she was carrying around this bundle of insecurity and doubt as to who she was." Shaking his head, Matt looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "I know that feeling, it was the same thing I suffered from in the digital world, doubt in who and what I was."

Sora looked up and chewed her lip. "I know, but, I can't face her, I hurt her feelings, I yelled stuff that I shouldn't have." Stepping back, Sora sat down on the coach and shook her head. "I need time to think, to find out if I can forgive her for lying all this time."

Matt looked at her and ten smiled. "Wait, remember the party we all agree to hold?" Matt looked down at Sora. "Talk to her then, that will give you two day's to figure out what your heart tells you."

Sora looked up and nodded. "I will." Hesitating, she smiled at Matt and then stood up and hugged him. "Thank you." 

*******************

Tai sat on the top part of the bunk bed and looked down at her sister. "Do you think Matt made any progress with Sora?." Frowning, she looked down at the cell phone in her hand. "I tried to call her, but she didn't answer. And Matt was just as cryptic." Tai mumbled as she mimicked Matt's voice. "She's needs some time alone, she talk to you when she's ready."

Kari looked up and sighed. "Tai, relax." Closing the book she was reading from, she stood up. "Look, no matter what happens, I will always be there for you."

Tai nodded and dropped down on her bed. "Hey Kari, maybe I'll drop by your school tomorrow."

Kari grinned and looked up at Tai's bunk. "Yeah, well then. Who are you coming as, Taichi the girl or Taichi the boy?"

Laughter filled the small bedroom as the two sisters continued to talk and joke about things.

******************

None of the students or the teachers looked up as the door opened into the school gym. It was quite normal for that door to be used while people were using the school gym. Slipping quietly in through the door, Tai pulled her heavy winter jacket off and looked around the room she had once known as her own pocket. It wasn't all that different from last time she had been there.

In the other end of the room, a lone student looked up and blinked as he noticed the girl who had just slipped in. Looking behind him, he stared at the plate with the school medals and trofies. Looking closer at the soccer medals and trofies, he stared at the picture of the winning team over each of them. Looking back at the girl, the boy blinked before looking back at the picture. "It's him, but why is he dressing as a girl?"

Tai grinned as she leaned back on the bench inside the gym, She may have gotten off from school, but the other chosen children still had one day left before they could sit back and relax. As for Tai, it was either a trip around Odaiba or spending the day listing to her mother talk about fashion and the latest gossip. 

Trying to escape the freezing cold weather outside, she had chosen to hide out in the school she had attended last year. Trying to avoid getting kicked out from walking around in a place she shouldn't be. She was spending time in the school gym, checking up on the condition of her old soccer teams.  

Watching the boys and girls running across the indoor field, she blinked. If she wasn't completely wrong. Sora wasn't among the student's training for next year's outdoor matches. Pushing the thought to the back of her head for further questioning at a later time, she took the time to analyse just how well the team was doing. 

"They're good aren't they?"

Tai blinked as she reliesed that someone was talking to her. Turning her head, she stared at what could almost be called a clone of her when she had dressed as a boy. The same if not shorter messy hair, done up in spikes, the kid even had a pair of goggle around his head. Giving a smile in return when she noticed the carefree look in his eyes, she remembered his question. "Sure, but I can take em. I was the best player on my old team."

The boy gave her a very disbeliving look and puffed out his chest. "No way, Davis here is the best there is." Looking back out at the team, he frowned. "It too bad I got a month on the bench for kicking my ball through the window." Glaring at the teacher, the boy snorted. "It not my fault it happened, the ball was slippery and…" Looking to the right, he stared at the very amused look on Tai's face. "What?"

Tai gave a low chuckle and then looked up at him. "Let me guess, it was the window into the teachers lounge?"   

Davis blinked his eyes and stared at her with half closed eyes. "Yeah, what if it was?"

Tai shrugged in return and gave a quick look around. "Let's just say that I did the same once. Only the principle was standing on the other side of the window at that time." Looking a bit embarrassed, she remembered the very angry look on the old man's face, as well as the long, really long detention period she had to serve afterwards.

Davis looked at her with vary big eyes and then lifted a hand. "You did that, but I heard that it was a boy named Tai…" 

Tai looked around the gym to see if anyone had heard the outburst and then looked at the younger boy who was waving his hands around to show that he needed air. Looking at him, she gave the boy an angry glare. "Look, Davis. Keep your voice down, and then I'll explain it okay?"

Davis nodded and Tai removed her hand from his mouth. Taking a deep breath, Davis quickly moved a bit further away from the older girl. Glaring a bit at her, he cleared his throat. "Man, you trying to choke me?" Sitting in on the bench above her, he looked out on the indoor soccer field. "Looks like it's Hiroshi turn to stand on the goal."

Tai looked up and groaned loudly. "They are putting him on goal. But he the best attacker there is." Feeling her hopes for her old team to make it anywhere in the spring matches fade, she shook her head. "Man, who came up with that tactic?"

Davis rolled his eyes and looked at the brunette with a You-think-so-too look. "Well, it's the new coach." Glaring towards the far way corner of the gym room, he shook his head. "I'm still wondering where they got her. She's supposed to be good though, but she's completely ignoring the play field list the old coach made." Looking at the brunette from the corner of his eyes, Davis waited to hear her answer.

Tai looked from the corner of her eyes at Davis. "Give her a break, She may be checking the list for faults." Tai spoke in a pro players tone. "Most coaches makes the team take a round in every place to evaluate them." Ignoring the stunned look on Davis face, she stood up" I'd better go. It's almost lunch break. I don't think I want to hang around here when they get out, no need to explain things to people I don't want too" Tai mumbled the last as she shot a nervous look onto the team still playing. 

Davis stood up and looked at her more closely. "You really are Taichi Yagami aren't you?" Speaking the sentence in a very low voice, Davis felt a lump in his throat at facing his idol from the soccer games. Who cared if the former school soccer star was a girl or not, as long as she was good at soccer and knew how to lead the team, he follow that person anywhere.

Tai groaned again and looked at the younger boy with a feeling of dread. "Look, I don't want this out over the whole school okay." Grabbing the younger boy, she pulled him away from the side of the playing field. "Yes, I'm Taichi Yagami. As for the reason, well it's a long story."

Davis froze and then felt like giving a scream of joy. He had always wanted to meet Taichi Yagami, ever since seeing his first, real school soccer tournament, since then, it had been his goal to be just as good as Tai. Grinning, Davis lifted the goggles up from around his neck and snapped them onto his head. "Want to have a sparing match. I want to see if you're as good as I've heard."

Tai blinked, and then grinned as well. "You're on Goggle boy."

*******************

Dropping the sweater next to the goal, Tai looked at the younger boy as he did some warm up moves. Flexing her legs, she took a quick look around the gym. It wasn't the best playing gear she had on, but the other boy was more likely worse off. Pulling her goggles out off her backpack, she slipped them around her head to keep her hair away from the eyes. Giving a big grin, she looked at the boy. "Ready goggle boy?" 

Davis looked up and nodded as he finished his last warm up lick. "Bring it on goggle girl!" Walking up to the line, he stared at the ball on the grass and smirked at the brunette. "Get ready to lose." 

Tai smirked as well and locked onto the ball. "As soon as my watch beeps, we start." Not waiting for an answer, she clicked the small button and watched as it started to count down." 

Both of the two children stared at the watch with an almost hungry look in their eyes. Neither of them wanted to be the one to lose the ball.

*BEEP*

The ball went flying.

*******************

Matt grumbled as he pulled on the gym shorts. If he ever got a hold of the idiot who put him on sports right before his English class, he's give him a black eye for it. Making sure that his hair was sitting perfectly, the blond boy slipped out of the door and into the large gym room, only to smack right into the back of the kid before him. Stepping back, he grumbled and pushed his way past the larger kid.

Staring into the ground as he walked down the row of benches, Matt looked for his usual place among the groups of students sitting on the bench waiting for the teacher to show up. He be damned if he was going to play another game of soccer again today, one time was more then enough for him, couldn't the school place all the soccer freaks in their own class. Now if they were playing basketball, then he was more then willing to join in plus, he had the matter with Tai's secret to deal with, did he even want to deal with it?  

"Wow, she's good."

"Yeah, hey isn't that Davis, you know, the new kid that started this summer?"

Matt looked up as he overheard two of his classmates talking from where they were sitting on the bench, just below his usual spot. Great, the local soccer player wanna be, Tosiou. Matt gritted his teeth at the memory of the album block he had gotten from the much large and a little overweight student last month. Stepping up over the first bench to where he sat, Matt prepared to spend the next two hours thinking about the Tai/Sora issue.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, he's actully good at that."

"You know, that girl looks kinda familiar with those goggles."

Broken out of his thoughts at the last comment, Matt head snapped up and his eyes locked onto the two kids on the other end of the room, one of them looked with spiky red brown hair and the other. Matt nearly face faulted at the sight of a still new, but familiar looking ponytail, and those goggles around the girls head. _What the #¤%¤% is she doing here? _Jumping down from one bench to the other, Matt felt like strangling the goggle wearing girl.

Ignoring the shouts from his classmates and a few class girls as he blocked their view of the two kids, Matt stomped out onto the playing area and marched towards the girl and the young kid playing a game of one on one soccer. "Idiot, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Matt's shout could be heard in the entire room and it had the effect of stopped the two kids. Meaning that the boy missed stopping the soccer ball, and instead letting it make a perfect line right towards the blond's head.  

Tai looked at the ball and where it was headed, and did the first thing she could think off. "MATT, LOOK OUT!" Then she started to run towards the blond boy.

The shout was the last thing Matt heard as the round ball of plastic filled with compressed air smacked right into his face with a speed of fifty km's per hour. As his head snapped back, the ball continued right up into the air for a meter or two, then it fell back down and landed on Matt's chest with a slight bump. 

Tai looked down at the blond boy and cursed very loud. Then she dropped down on her knees next to the blonde, and lifted his head up from where it had been lying on the ground and looked at the goggle wearing boy. "Davis, Get me some tissues." Looking to her left, she stared at a kid with long brown hair. "Get the school nurse, he might have a concussion." Tai didn't even notice that she had slipped into leader mode. Instead she looked down at Matt with concern on her face.   

*******************

Matt head felt like a horde of Etemon's was having a karaoke contest inside his head as he woke up. Wincing at the sunlight streaming in trough the window, he lifted a hand and blocked it. Slowly, the last few moments before his nap came back to him, and his teeth gritted again with the stress he was under. Oddly enough, his right eye didn't really want to open up and it was really hurting a lot.

"Hey, you're awake."

Turning his head, he met the reason for why he was lying on the bed in the first place. Opening his mouth to scream, he stopped when he noticed the look on the girls face, and instantly felt like the biggest fool on the planet. "Tai, ah, what are you doing here?" _ Smooth, real smooth Ishida, can you sound more like an idiot?_ "So have you been, uh, waiting here for long?" 

Tai fiddled with her fingers and then settled for looking away with a blush on her face. "Look, I'm really sorry about the black eye." Blushing even more, she felt like running through the wall screaming. "And the concussion." Australia sound real nice right about now. Tai looked at the blond boy from out of the corner of her eyes. "I'd better tell the others you're awake."

Matt blinked as Tai rushed out of the room, and then the words of the brunette finally came through. "Black eye, concussion!?" Spinning around in the bed, Matt jumped out of it and rushed over to the only mirror in the nurse's room. What looked back at him in mirror, was a Matt with a big rather ugly blue bruise around the right eye, and a bandage worthy of a mummy around his head. 

Mattt lifted his head to the final horror, his presscious hair, it was sticking out in every direction, and even out from under the bandage in a weird spiky way, taking a deep breath Matt looked in the mirror again, praying that what he saw the first time wasn't true. Outside, Tai, Izzy, Sora and Mimi winched as a tortured scream came from within the nurse's room. When the door was flung open. Tai bolted from the room. 

A few meters behind her, Matt was screaming at the top of his lungs as he held on tightly to the coat rack. 

*******************

The day after in the Yagami apartment, the two sisters were getting ready for the Christmas party, and trying to avoid getting there late.

While they would much rather have been holding the party at one of their own places, it had been Matt's dad who had suggested renting a small place, none of the chosen Children's apartments were really meant for a party. So, in a joint work between the kids and their parents, they had gotten premission to rent a small party room at a small restaurant.

Tai looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. The dress she had gotten the other day was pretty and really looked good on her. Done in an Asian style, and colored a deep red with a black dragon motive on the front, it reached just below her knees and had a small slit on both side ending halfway up her thigh and long sleeves. Turning to look at her little sister, she held out her arms, waiting for the final approval from her.

Kari looked Tai up and down and finally smiled her approval. Dressed in a western style yellow dress that reached the lower part of legs, Kari looked like a small angle. Turning around, she picked up her small bag and reached out to open up their bedroom door, stopping as she didn't hear any footsteps from her big sister, she held onto the handle and looked back at her sister who had gotten that uncertain look in her eyes again. "Come on Tai, Matt said Sora would be there tonight."

The brunette looked away with a small hint of fear in her eyes. "What if she still don't, want to talk with me?" Feeling a lone tear form in her left eye again, Tai grumbled and wiped it away. She had done enough crying for the whole year. It was time to face her fear, it was time to try and patch things up with Sora. If it didn't work out, then it wasn't a true friendship they had had. "Come on, let's go."

The drive over to the place wasn't that long. As they stopped outside the place, Tan and Kari waved goodbye to their parents and stepped inside the restaurant and placed their shoes in the holder and walked over to the headwaiter. 

Looking around, Tai noted that it wasn't a traditional restaurant, but more of a western styled one. Hanging down from the walls and ceiling were festive decorations like she had seen from those American movies, and if she wasn't wrong, there was a small Christmas tree over in the corner. 

Kari blinked as she noticed her big sister attention shift from the waiter to the decorations. Politely stepping around her, she looked at the man in the very sharp suit and smiled. "Hi, we're with the Tachikawa party. Kari and Tai Yagami."

Looking down on the list, the man nodded and stepped around the small table and held out a hand. "If the ladies will as kind as to follow me." 

Tai felt her sister pull on her sleeve and turned to follow the waiter and her sister. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't look up until she stepped into the room the waiter indicated and stopped. Standing a mere meter away, Sora looked at her with a mix of sorrow and fear. "Hi." Tai felt like kicking herself as she muttered the word rapidly. _That's all you think of to say? Taichi Yagami, you #¤%"_

Sora slowly walked over and looked right into the brown eyes of her former friend. "Tai, we need to talk."

TBC.

AN: Woohoo, another chapter is done. I may even be able to wrap it up with the next chapter. Sorry if some parts of this look rushed. I was busy with redesigning my website, and signing up at a better host then Geocities. 

It seems short and rushed to me, what do you think? 

I was really having trouble with this, and I also had to turn some attention to Real Life matters. Anyway, The first part with the talk between Tai and the other kids could have been a bit longer, but I'm not really good with emotional stuff like that. Better to make a short and somewhat convincing play, then a long speech in which everyone is OOC,

Don't know if I asked about this before. But if some of you know how to draw, I would love some fan art for this story. My skills with a pencil leave a lot to be desired.

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Couple Status.

Michi: 2 votes.

Taito/Yamachi: 6 votes.

Taiora: 1 vote.

Taisuke: 1 vote.

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	6. chapter V

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Summary: Fourth part in the Series. Expected to be around four chapters + prologue and an epilogue. AU everyone, Taichi has a little secret, okay maybe it's not that little. 

Last time on Tai's little Secret, Tai revealed to the other digi destined that she was a girl and not a boy. Sora didn't take the news very well and ran off. Now Tai is faced with explaining to the other kids why she has been dressing as a boy for the last five years, and finding Sora so she can explain why she even lied to her best friend. 

_Thoughts_.

A few words before the fic starts. I've counted up the suggestions for a couple in this fic, and the result can be found right after the Authors Notes, I don't intend to add Romance to the story as it is, but I do intend to do something with them. You can read more about it after the Author Notes.

Dak.

=====================================

Tai's little Secret

Part V

=====================================

Sora slowly walked over and looked right into the brown eyes of her former friend. "Tai, we need to talk."

Tai slowly nodded, and the red/orange haired girl before her, took a hold of her arm, and began to drag her over to a more secluded room to talk. As the door closed behind them, Tai felt something tighten in her stomach. "Look Sora, I'm sorry I didn't tell you okay. I was just so scared and."

Tai stopped as she felt someone place a finger over her mouth. Looking up, she stared into two intensely glowing eyes before her. "Tai, it's me. I'm the one who should apologize. I've been a…" Stopping, Sora turned her head to star at the door. Then she calmly walked over and ripped it open. "Can we get some privacy or what?" 

The group of chosen children huddled outside the door eeped at sight of a very angry Sora staring at them. Mimi very quickly hid the glass she had used to listen better with behind her back. "Of course Sora, We very sorry about this, right?" The rest of the group all nodded and stepped back from the door. Sora looked from each of them as she gave a very strained smile, then she closed the door and returned to talk with the brunette. 

Tai stared at Sora with a whole row of different emotions running through her, but the most common one was anxiety, mixed in with a large potion of fear. Moving her eyes away to stare at the floor, Tai slowly opened her mouth. "Sora, I…  I'm so sorry about all this." Turning away from Sora, Tai shoulders shook a little as stress, anxiety and fear began to take their toll on the girl. "I shouldn't have kept it a secret from you, I should have told you so much, but I was so scared." Tai shoulders began to shake even more, as a few tears began to run down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Sora, I'm so sorry for lying to you, for never telling you the truth."  

Sora closed her mouth and stared at Tai with big eyes, she had expected something from the brunette, but an emotional breakdown was beyond the stuff she had thought off. Stepping forward she wrapped the brunette in a hug, and began to make cooing noises to calm her down. Holding a still shaking and somewhat crying Tai, Sora felt like face faulting like they did in a manga or Anime. How could someone able to stand up to a powerful monster hell bent on killing all of them, be so scared of telling someone that they were a cross-dresser? "Tai, tell me why, that's all I want to know right now."

Tai looked up from where she was and sniffed. Then she looked around the small room to find something to concentrate on, to hide her own embarrassment at the past. "It… It all started five or six years ago, long before my family moved to Highton View Terrance." Slowly, Tai told Sora of the reason she had been cross-dressing as a boy. 

*******************

Mimi, Matt, and Kari leaned in closer to the door, all three of them straining to hear what was going on the other side. Matt simply to know if the group that had fought so hard to stay together would be broken up, Mimi simply because she didn't want to see anyone fight. And Kari was there to see to, that Sora didn't break her big sister heart, and to provide moral support if she did.

Slowly turning her head, Mimi looked right into Matt's face as she noticed the attire he was wearing. "Matt?" Waiting for the blond haired boy to look at her, she wondered how she could best voice her question. "What's happened to you?"

Matt sweat dropped and briefly moved a hand up to the baseball cap on his head as he winched. Slowly, he pulled it down and looked at Mimi as her eyes bugged out. "I kinda had a small accident with a football." Putting the hat back on, Matt quickly made sure that the sunglasses he was wearing wasn't falling off.

Below them, Kari lifted her head and looked up at the two above her with a frown. "Quiet, do you want them hear us?" Returning to stare at the door, Kari quickly pressed her ear towards the wood and paper door and tried to focus on the conversation, taking place on the other side of the door.   

Rasp barring the younger girl, Mimi leaned back in as well and began to listen. " I can't hear anything, what are they saying?" Alternating between looking at Matt and Kari, she tried to get an answer. "Come on you guys, what are they saying?"

Matt frowned at the noise Mimi made, and pushed her away from him as he tried to focus a bit more on the conversation. Failing to hear anything but murmur from the inside, he pulled his ear away and then looked closer at the door. "I think they're too far away, but it didn't sound like they're fighting in there."  

TK, Izzy and Joe looked over from where they sat and shook their head. "Can you believe them? Spying on a private conversation." Joe said, as he looked at the three kids trying to crack open the door with the two inside noticing it. "It's not very friendly to listen in on other conversation like that, don't you agree Izzy?"

Izzy looked up from his laptop and stared at Joe for a few seconds, and then he pulled the headphones and gave a small grin when he noticed the deadpan look on Joe's face. "What?"

Looking closer at the laptop, Joe blinked and quickly pulled it around to stare at the screen. "Izzy, what are you doing?" Pointing a finger at the screen, Joe was close to yelling in the younger boy's face. "Don't tell me you're just like them." 

TK looked up from his thinking and stared at the small window on the laptop screen and blinked. "How you get a camera in to them?" Staring with a lot of curiosity, TK followed the scene between Tai and Sora with big eyes. Then he stared up at Izzy blushing and trying to explain himself to a very persistent Joe, demanding a good explanation for spying on two off their friends. On the screen, Tai and Sora broke the hug they were in and slowly stood up, then they started to walk towards the camera and the door.

Stopping, Sora looked up into the camera and narrowed her eyes, than she looked at the brunette behind her. "Hey Tai, is that thing on the wall what I think it is?" Lifting up a hand, she pointed straight into the camera with a mix of a shocked and angry look on her face.

Walking up and looking into the camera as well, then she got the same shocked and halfway angry look in her eyes. "It is, look, there's his special logo." Tai nodded as she recgonized the web cam that Izzy had been showing to them all doing the last week of summer vacation she had spent with them. "Izzy, he must have bugged the room earlier."

Joe and Izzy looked away from their small argument as they heard the loud yell from the computer. Then they looked up at one another. Slding a bit away from the younger one, Joe pulled off his glasses and began to polish them. "Well, at least you won't get away with spying on them."

Izzy slowly reached out to grab his laptop. "Thank for the support man." Joe simply smiled and put on his glasses at the comment.

*******************

Pulling open the door to get outside and take revenge on Izzy, Sora gave a loud scream as the weight of the three kids outside pushed it in faster then she had counted on. Tumbling down on the floor, the child of love stared up at Matt with a blushing face as the boy fell down on top of her. "Matt, get off me!"

The blond haired boy winched at the sound level and looked down at where he lying, blushing like a madman, he quickly jumped up and backed away from the girl. "I'm Sorry!" Rushing back out of the room, he nearly tripped over Mimi and Kari on the way out. Both of them quickly got up as well and followed him out of the room. 

Sora looked from the floor were she had fallen, and then at the three huddling together near the wall. "Don't overreact." Standing, Sora calmly walked over towards them. "Don't worry, I'm not mad. Angry yes, mad no." Reaching out a hand, she pulled the three kids closer. "We'll talk later about your little spy trick. But first I have to talk to a certain camera happy boy." Over in corner, the three boys sitting around the laptop gulped.

Stepping out of the room, Tai looked around the room they would be holding the party in. It wasn't a big or fancy room, more along the lines of large room with a few plants and wall decorations thrown in. Looking to her side, Tai smiled as Kari and Mimi looked back with a big smile. Then she stepped for and gave her little sister a hug.  

Besides them, Mimi coughed politely and then gave Tai a quick hug as well, then she stepped back and looked at Tai with a smile. "So, tell me everything that happened in there. I want to know it all." Tai felt like screaming as Mimi dragged her over to one of the tables, for a little girl talk.

*******************

Finally walking away from the gossip happy Mimi, Tai looked around the room and quickly spotted Joe and Izzy talking quietly over in the corner, near the end of the room, TK and Kari were also talking about the new Anime shows that had started in the week, and finally, blinking her eyes and extra time, Tai to stifle a laugh when she spotted Matt over in the corner. Quickly walking over, she looked at him with a smirk. "Nice hat!"

Matt's hand went up to the baseball cap on his head and then grimaced. "It was either this or showing up looking like a mummy." Slowly, Matt hand went to the sunglasses he was also wearing and pulled them off as well. Standing out clearly, a dark blue ring circled around his eye. "Do you know how hard it was to get through school looking like this?"

Tai blushed and looked the other way to hide it. "Well, if you hadn't interrupted the match, it wouldn't have happened." Nearly crossing her arms out of old habit, Tai settled with clenching her hands as she shot a glare at the blond boy. "What was that about anyway?"

Matt slowly slid the sunglasses back on and motion for them to sit down. "Tai, what the heck were you thinking. I may be cool with what you really are, and so are the others." Matt looked away from her as he stared through the room and over at TK. "But there are some people who don't think like us." Matt looked back and glanced over the edge of his glasses. "There was a lot of guys from your old soccer team in the gym yesterday, did you stop to think what they might say to the fact that you lied to them?" Not letting Tai speak yet, Matt continued. "What I mean is, you need to think before you rush into stuff like this okay?"

Tai sat in silence for a few moments; then she looked up from studying her own hand. "Matt?" Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it for a second. "Thank you." Looking away, Tai smiled. "You're right, I should have been a bit more careful, I just forgot where I was at the time." 

Matt nodded and then looked at the two youngest in the group sitting at the end of the table. "Look at them, I wonder if we would have been like them if you hadn't dressed and acted like a boy all that time."

Tai looked down at the table and chewed her lip. "Nope, we would still have beaten the stuffing out of each other." Looking over at Matt, Tai grinned. "No matter the age, we would have been to different to get along peacefully." Tai eyes twinkled with laughter. "But, I do think of you like a brother sometimes." 

Matt grinned at the words and stood up. "Now come on, this party isn't over yet, little sister."

Tai looked up at him with a slight frown on her face. "Little Sister. Done you mean big sister?" 

Matt crossed his arms and shook his head. "Cause I'm taller then you now, see."

Fuming a little as Matt smirked; Tai made a snort and then stood up as well. "Yeah, but I still kick you ass anytime. Now, come on. I want to know how well you guys can dance. Those lessons Hinako forced me through at school had better not have been for nothing." Looking at the four guys in the room, Tai grinned as she nodded. "Hey Matt, I'm gonna go see if Joe wants to dance."

Matt stopped walking and looked at her. "Joe, you're kidding right?" Although halfway hidden by his sunglasses, Matt's disbelief could be seen in his eyes as he stared at the brunette beside him.

Tai shook her and did her best to hide her smirk. "Sure, I mean he always acting so grown up, he's gotta know how to dance. And don't worry, I might just dance with you as well, if you can dance that is."

Matt's fingers made a funny popping sound as he glared at the brunette. "I'll have you know that I'm a much better dancer then Joe." Pointing at the oldest boy in the room, Matt snorted. "The guy's got two left feet and zero coordination trust me."

Tai looked from the blue haired boy and then to the red head next to him. "Izzy then?" Next to her, Matt sounded like he was choking on his own tongue at the suggestion. "Okay, how about Mimi."  

Matt crashed to the ground and then jumped up. "But you're both girls?"

Tai looked at him with a wide grin. "Should I rather dance with TK, he's the last guy left in here." Then she held out her hand to point at the blond haired boy. "If we don't count you that is, Little brother." As they started walking again, Tai stopped and faked a thoughtful look. "Would you feel better if I danced with Sora instead of Mimi?"

"TAI!"

Laughing, Tai looked around the room with a big smile. Looking back, she briefly wondered why she had ever doubted her friends, why she had ever feared something like this would make them hurt her. "Come on Matt, I think Kari wants to take a picture of all of us."    

The End.

AN: Well, I couldn't think of a better end to this story. But wait, what was all that stuff about a couple count then. Well, here's the deal. Putting in romance in the main part of story would ruin it completely. So instead, I tumbled with the idea to write up a different ending chapter or future vision where Tai gets paired up with the ones that you have voted for. Based on the amount of Votes each couple has gotten, I'll try to write a small one to two chapter long stories with that couple in it. 

To find out more about this, read the conclusion note to Tai's Little Secret, also Frank Moore gave a similar suggestion to me in a review.. 

Also, if you think that there's something missing from this chapter, feel free to point it out. I don't want to make it look like I slapped up a half finished end chapter.

Q&A:

Mah, I'll answer them in the special end notes bit okay.


End file.
